Safety inspections cut in anti-red tape drive

Plans to exempt thousands of businesses from health and safety inspections are to be announced by ministers.

Checks will no longer be routinely carried out on premises considered to be low risk, like shops, under new rules to be introduced in April 2013,
Ministers say the checks can place an unnecessary burden on some businesses but some trade unions say it risks the safety of employees and customers.
The government plans to scrap or change more than 3,000 regulations.

It says its drive to cut bureaucracy will save companies millions of pounds.