Tourism minister James Purnell has set up a task force for the culture, media and sport industries as part of the government’s efforts to lessen the burden of red tape on businesses in the sectors.

The newly-formed Department for Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) Better Regulation Panel will work to secure reductions in the administrative constraints that businesses in the sectors face.

The group will focus on both regulations that the DCMS is responsible for and the impact other departments’ regulations have on these industries.

The group will then be responsible for making recommendations on what action the government should take to cut red tape.

Speaking at the annual European Tourism Forum in Malta, Purnell said that burdensome regulation is an EU-wide problem and that the UK was taking steps to address it.

“Smaller businesses are at the heart of the tourism industry and I want to make sure that anyone thinking of setting up a new business isn’t overwhelmed by regulation,” he said.

Panel members will include independent experts from a cross-section of DCMS business areas.

The first sector to be addressed by the panel will be the tourism sector. Details: www.dcms.gov.uk