The Chamber Of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire receives many complaints from businesses about the soaring cost of regulation.

In many cases business supports the principle behind regulation - including safety in the workplace, support for the more vulnerable and protecting the environment - but often falls out with the Government and regulators over the heavy-handed way the regulations are applied.

Independent research commissioned by the Chambers found that since 1998 new regulations have cost UK business £38.9bn.

After hard lobbying by the Chambers, the Government has now introduced the Legislative And Regulatory Reform Bill to help reduce some of that burden.

Christopher Harvey, head of policy and representation at the Chamber Of Commerce, Herefordshire And Worcestershire, said: "Complicated and costly regulation is one of the main barriers to business growth, especially for smaller companies. The new measures in this Bill are long overdue.

"This legislation must equip Parliament with the power to scrap costly and burdensome regulation so that businesses can be free to grow and succeed. This Bill needs to make a real difference to employers."