Unnecessary environmental regulation is to be scrapped and could save UK business £1 billion over five years. This is according to DEFRA, which launched a ‘Red Tape Challenge’ last year.

Announcing the results of DEFRA’s study, the Environment Secretary maintained cuts would not distract the department from its goals.

Caroline Spelman said: “I want to be very clear that this is not about rolling back environmental safeguards, nor is it just about cutting regulation to stimulate growth.

“The results of the Red Tape Challenge will be good for the environment and good for business because as well as upholding environmental protection we will remove unnecessary bureaucracy to allow businesses to free up resources to invest in growth.”

The reform will see 132 regulations improved, through simplification or mergers; 70 kept as they are; and the repeal of 53 others that are thought to now be obsolete.

In the review businesses said they were particularly frustrated by the amount of red tape and paperwork needed to deal with their waste and the amount of staff hours spent dealing with bureaucracy and inspections.