Construction union UCATT has reacted with dismay to the news that the Government hid proposals which could lead to further attacks on health and safety laws and employment rights in the small print of the budget.

Buried on page 50 of the 2013 Budget document was the announcement that the Government will launch a "second phase of the Red Tape challenge", while on page 93 of the budget it confirms that the second phase of the Red Tape Challenge will begin in "summer 2013".

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The previous round of the Red Tape Challenge was used by the Government to attack workers’ rights and to begin dismantling health and safety laws.

Steve Murphy, General Secretary of UCATT, said: "The Red Tape Challenge has been used to cynically attack workers’ rights and safety laws. A second phase is likely to be even worse.

"If the Government really thought that cutting safety laws and making it easier to sack workers was the way to increase growth and prosperity, surely they would publicise their polices and not hid them in the budget’s small print."

(CD)