Recent red tape developments
Thursday, 11 August 2011
As you may know, we’re working to free volunteering from red tape. This week we’ve noticed that some useful guidance has been published that will hopefully cut through some of it.
There’s also the first stage of consultation on a bill of rights for the UK. Could this be some more red tape, or is it an opportunity to protect access to volunteering?
Volunteer drivers
Some volunteer drivers have reported that their local authority has required them to have a private hire vehicle license.
The Department for Transport has now helpfully published a PHV licensing guidance note that makes it clear, in paragraph 20, that volunteer drivers are not mini cab drivers:
“if the driver of a vehicle used for carrying passengers is doing no more than collecting expenses, then the vehicle should not, in the Department’s view, be subject to PHV licensing”
If you or someone you support comes across this problem, this guidance should help you to clear it up. If not, please do let us know.
Health and safety
One of the biggest targets for red tape frustration is ‘health and safety’. Organisations of all types constantly report being confused by and wrapped up in regulations that place a significant burden on them.
The Health & Safety Executive has - also helpfully - launched a basic guide to health and safety that aims to cut through some of the confusion, laying out the basic series of steps that are all most organisations have to follow.
If you need more information, take a look at our Good Practice Bank section on health and safety or feel free to contact us.
Bill of rights
In March the Government established the independent Commission on a Bill of Rights. Its remit is to investigate the creation of a UK Bill of Rights that incorporates and builds on all our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, ensures that these rights continue to be enshrined in UK law, and protects and extend our liberties.
As a first step, the Commission has published a discussion paper, Do we need a UK Bill of Rights [PDF] and is asking for responses by 11 November 2011.
There isn’t actually much discussion in the paper. Rather, it lays out the domestic, European and international legislation and conventions that protect citizen and human rights, and asks the following questions:
- Do you think we need a UK Bill of Rights? If so,
- what do you think a UK Bill of Rights should contain?
- how do you think it should apply to the UK as a whole, including its four component countries of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- having regard to our terms of reference, are there any other views which you would like to put forward at this stage?
What we’re wondering is, should Volunteering England make a submission? Is there an opportunity to talk about ensuring the right of someone to give their time freely for the benefit of others is protected from legislation that might encroach upon it?
At this stage, we’re simply not sure, but we think it’s a discussion that we should probably be having anyway. Even if it’s not appropriate to submit something to the Commission, perhaps we’ll be able to feed into Government in some other way.
So, please do send your thoughts, comments and suggestions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
