Plans to cut the red tape burden on business by at least £1 billion, including a proposed one-stop shop pilot scheme to co-ordinate official inspections and a pledge to simplify paperwork, have been agreed by the government.

The deregulatory drive is a central feature of the five-year plan for the Department of Trade and Industry agreed at last week's Cabinet meeting. The plan, due to be published shortly by Patricia Hewitt, the trade and industry secretary, does not include an explicit financial commitment. But ministers are understood to have set £1 billion as a minimum target over the plan's term.

Government Response: Department of Trade and Industry

A DTI spokesperson said:  "A key part of the DTI five year plan will obviously deal with the issue of regulation and what the DTI can do to ease the burden of regulation on business - particularly small business."

Stakeholder Response: Institute of Directors