Promoting evidence-based policy making

Union policies or regulations are backed by solid evidence has been announced. Addressing delegates at the IOSH 2012 conference and exhibition, in Manchester, Professor Ragnar Löfstedt announced a new cross-party parliamentary committee of MEPs to promote evidence-based policy making in the EU.

The informal committee, will be launched at the European Parliament in Brussels in June and was one of a number of recommendations made by Prof Löfstedt in last year's UK Government-commissioned review of health and safety regulations.

He said: "We feel it's very important to promote evidence-based policy making in Europe. At present we feel that the European Parliament is not always evidence-based in its policy making. With this committee, we have a welcome opportunity to look at this more closely." IOSH will support the launch of the committee. Chief Executive Rob Strange OBE said: "We have always welcomed evidence-based policymaking and welcome this committee and its vision of increasing the use of science to support health and safety regulations. We want to see that regulations are only introduced when they are based on good research and a genuine need."