The Cabinet Office's Better Regulation Task Force yesterday published a report on employment regulation.

The task force recommends that government departments give better consideration to alternatives to state regulation to meet a policy objective.

The report also recommends that departments should ensure that independent experts are closely involved in developing innovative ways of achieving policy objectives without regulation.

Forum Response: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Geoff Armstrong, director general of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, told ePolitix.com: "The task force's recommendation that government departments give better consideration to alternatives to state regulation to meet employment policy objectives will be welcomed by employers of every size and sector.

"We have long advocated that the government should look long and hard to see whether there are other ways of achieving employment policy objectives, and ones that consider the needs of businesses and their employees. It should also consult with a broader range of bodies and experts when considering a change in employment policy.

"The complexity of the new employment laws and the speed with which they have been introduced are sources of great frustration for employers. Too often there is a complete lack of understanding of the time it takes to implement regulation in a way that best reflects the needs of business and employees.

"The vast majority of employers are law-abiding with no intention of abusing employees' rights or interests. We believe that the government's desire to influence change within organisations would be much better served by education as well as accessible information."