Election 2011: Tories will cut red tape

SHETLAND Conservative candidate Sandy Cross has outlined his party’s agenda to cut red tape for rural businesses.

According to Mr Cross, if the Tories take Holyrood they will merge SEPA, SNH, Marine Scotland, the Food Standards Agency and the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspection Directorate into one organisation.

They will also shine the spotlight on burdensome rules and regulations by retaining the Scottish Parliament’s regulatory review group and letting any private sector organisation refer regulations to it.

They will also review and speed up the planning regime to help stimulate economic growth.

The Tory stance on fishing matches that of the other parties, calling for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and “a more effective local fishery management policy”.

Mr Cross said: ‘As a rural businessman myself, I am amazed at the number of government agencies and regulations I have to deal with and the number of forms required.

“Post war, the Hungarian minister of food had all the departmental records in his ministry burned. He then started from scratch.

“This was a much too extreme approach. But it is surely clear that, in Scotland, we can create a more co-ordinated and efficient regime than we have at the moment. This would benefit everyone.”