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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Nils Pratley

Yes, cut red tape. But shareholder votes on boardroom pay are not ‘pointless admin’

People walk through the City of London with corporate offices in the background
The UK’s business department is launching a consultation on ‘modernising corporate reporting to support long-term economic growth’. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

The government, like every other one in living memory, is on a mission to reduce red tape for business. The former chancellor Rachel Reeves promised “a blitz on bureaucracy” and “pointless admin” and here comes the business department with a 12-week consultation on “modernising corporate reporting to support long-term economic growth”.

Never mind that cutting energy costs for business would, by an order of magnitude, do more to support growth than any bonfire of red tape ever will. The consultation is still worthwhile: clearing out accumulated clutter, exploring digital options and clarifying reporting “exemptions and exclusions” for small- and medium-sized companies could free up a bit of time for doing more business.

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