This book examines a range of different British regulatory bodies, including the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the Food Standards Agency, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, the regulators for health and social care and the regulators covering communications, energy, rail, and water. The book emphasizes that no regulator works in isolation but is part of a complex network of different institutions including central government departments and European institutions. Effective regulatory accountability requires that the relations between the different bodies a ... More

This book examines a range of different British regulatory bodies, including the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the Food Standards Agency, the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive, the regulators for health and social care and the regulators covering communications, energy, rail, and water. The book emphasizes that no regulator works in isolation but is part of a complex network of different institutions including central government departments and European institutions. Effective regulatory accountability requires that the relations between the different bodies are clear and transparent, and the book assesses the extent to which this is achieved in practice. It also emphasizes the range of tasks which regulators perform. Many regulators are responsible for economic regulation to increase efficiency and promote consumer choice; however, regulators also have other roles, notably protecting human rights, promoting social solidarity and social inclusion, and providing a forum for deliberation and learning through listening to the views of stakeholders. The different legal duties of the regulators, and their operation in practice, are examined in relation to these different roles, with an emphasis on how regulators ought to decide and how they can be held accountable for their decisions. The book also looks at the effects on regulators of the ‘better regulation’ initiatives, examining attempts to reduce regulatory burdens and to improve regulatory procedures, for example through the use of regulatory impact analysis. There is also consideration of overseas experience from France and the USA.