The new UK government is asking the public to participate in restoring Britain’s traditions of freedom and fairness, and free our society of unnecessary laws and regulations – both for individuals and businesses. One area that seems likely to receive some attention is health and safety safety.

They have set up a website where anyone can post ideas and comment on others. Those flagged as health and safety can be viewed at http://yourfreedom.hmg.gov.uk/@@search?Subject=healthandsafety

I think the challenge is that many of the problems are not with laws themselves, but the way they are interpreted. People are frightened to do things because they think they may be breaking a law or will be held liable if something goes wrong. This is perpetuated by a press that seems to love to use health and safety as a convenient excuse for many things. A government can change laws, but I am not sure how they can change perceptions.