At Deloitte’s recent roundtable I attended, Reimagining Regulation for Economic Growth, leaders from across the regulatory landscape came together to explore how the UK can reduce regulatory burden while supporting clarity, innovation and business confidence. The conversation made clear that smarter regulation requires intention, cultural change and a deeper understanding of where complexity truly originates.
Where Regulatory Burden Comes From
Participants identified several sources of regulatory “red tape” that contribute to complexity. These included the demands created by legislation itself, the additional rules set by regulators, and the tendency for organisations to apply gold-plated internal governance that goes beyond what is required. Reporting obligations were highlighted as another pressure point, as was the duplication of requirements across multiple organisations and processes. Together, these elements create an often overwhelming compliance landscape.
What Reducing the Burden Really Means
The discussion then moved to what a reduction in regulatory burden should look like in practice. Many agreed that proportional autonomy is key, offering organisations the freedom to act responsibly within clear boundaries. Safety was recognised as an essential foundation for growth - with aviation cited as an example where commercial success is possible only because safety is so rigorously upheld. A memorable analogy compared regulation to hurdles rather than a single high jump: manageable steps that guide progress rather than obstruct it. There was also agreement that the entire regulatory process must become more professionalised to ensure consistency and clarity across sectors.
The Critical Role of Data
A recurring concern was the lack of coordinated data sharing between regulators, which leads to inefficiency and repeated work. Without common input standards, it becomes extremely difficult to compare datasets or assess cross-sector impacts. However, participants also noted that when used effectively, data enables better decision-making, clearer outcomes and more efficient regulatory practices.
Balancing Growth and Core Objectives
Many regulators are already carrying growth duties alongside their established objectives, meaning they must consider economic impact while still upholding sector-specific protections. One insight stood out: strong, trusted markets are the foundation for long-term growth. When businesses can rely on a stable regulatory environment, they are more willing to invest, innovate and plan for the future.
The Challenge of Measuring Success
Measuring regulatory outcomes remains difficult. Regulators are often required to demonstrate the success of interventions that prevent negative outcomes - something inherently hard to quantify. Seatbelts, for example, clearly deliver safety benefits, but it is impossible to state exactly how many lives they saved in any given year. Better data and harmonised reporting standards may help address this challenge in the future.
Continuing the Conversation
These insights strongly echo themes from TSO’s own recent Regulators Round Table at the House of Commons, where leaders explored how clarity, accessibility and digital-first publishing can support more effective growth-focused regulation. We will soon be sharing further reflections through a series of blogs and a dedicated whitepaper.
You can also listen to the recent Podcast with Institute of Regulation and Deloitte “Should regulators commercialise?” where Richard South CEO and Sam Wlash from Deloitte discuss how regulators can use their data and expertise to improve compliance, save public money and explore legitimate opportunities for growth: https://ioregulation.org/podcast
If you are a regulator and would like to join our upcoming roundtable discussions, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please get in touch at tsobd@tso.co.uk.
Blog post written by Alan Blanchard, Business Development Director.
