Ministerial regulations, aka statutory instruments (SIs)

• who makes SIs?

  Government ministers, they are issued in the form of statutory instruments which look like mini acts of parliament
• Approx, how many SIs are made per year?

  3000
• what is a statutory instrument?

  They are rules and regulations made by government ministers. Ministers in government departments can be given authority to make regulations.
• Each department of the government deals with a different area of policy and the minister in charge can make rules and regulations in respect of what it deals with, for example:

  • The minister for work and pensions can make regulations on work-related matters, like health and safety at work.
  • The minister for transport can deal with road regulations.
• SIs can be very short, covering one point, such as making the annual change to the minimum wage. However, other SIs may be very long, with detailed regulations that were too complex to include in an Act of Parliament.
• What is the significance of the SI called Chemicals (Hazard information and packaging for supply) regulations 2009?

  It is an example of an SI that was too long to be included in an act of parliament. It was made by the minister or work and pension under powers given in the European Communities act 1972 and the Health and safety at work Act 1974