Regulatory Impact Assessments

In respect of this Part of the Building Regulations' Requirements, a partial Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) paper: Impact Assessments of amending Part G (Hygiene) of the Building Regulations and the revision to Approved Document G has been published alongside the consultation paper, on the 13 May 2008. 

General Information

Government departments assess the likely outcomes of regulating in order to try to achieve the right balance between under-regulating, which may fail to protect the public, and over-regulating, which may create excessive bureaucracy. Since 1998, the Government has used Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) to assess likely outcomes, producing around 150 to 200 a year.

RIAs identify the costs and benefits of a policy proposal and the risks of not acting. They are intended to inform the policy decision making process and communicate clearly the objectives, options, costs, benefits and risks of proposals to the public to increase the transparency of the process.

Further information on RIA's can be obtained from the National Audit Office at http://www.nao.org.uk/ria/ria_introduction.htm