The quality of a country's regulatory framework is not a purely domestic concern. It shapes trade relationships, influences investment decisions, and signals to international partners whether a country is serious about evidence-based regulation. Our role at the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) sits at the heart of that story.
What the OECD tells us
The OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2025 provides the most authoritative international benchmarking of regulatory quality available. The OECD’s composite indicator of Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) shows the UK (highlighted in yellow) ranking second out of the 36 OECD countries for primary legislation (we are fourth for secondary legislation).
The RPC’s role as the UK’s independent scrutiny body of RIAs for primary and secondary legislation and the Better Regulation Framework within which we operate are central to the UK’s high ranking – in particular for the UK’s scores on ‘oversight and quality control’ and ‘transparency’.
The RPC’s international reputation
When, as Chair of the RPC, I meet with representatives from other regulatory scrutiny bodies, I am proud at the high regard in which they hold the RPC. We are perceived as a world-leading example of regulatory development and scrutiny and as a centre of excellence to be emulated and learned from.
The value of our reputation
The RPC's international reputation has direct commercial value. Trading partners and inward investors look for a regulatory environment with an independent scrutiny body that operates across the full range of regulatory measures to publicly challenge poor-quality government analysis and confirm when analysis is fit for purpose. This builds trust and confidence and helps to reduce risk, enhance transparency, and increase the predictability of their investments. Without it, investors demand higher returns to compensate for risk - or avoid the market altogether.
The RPC's international reputation has been earned through over 15 years of providing independent advice. It should be regarded not as a sunk cost but as a live asset - one that pays dividends in trade relationships, investment confidence and the UK's ability to shape global regulatory norms. Maintaining it requires political commitment, high-quality impact assessments, and genuine engagement with the better regulation agenda from ministers and civil servants.
🔗 The Regulatory Policy Committee publishes our opinions and analysis at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/regulatory-policy-committee
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