Businesses are getting tied up in a web of bureaucracy as inspections by the taxman, health and safety officers and other watchdogs are costing them 50,000 hours every year, official figures show.

A consultative document on government inspections published by the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, shows that the time employees are spending with watchdogs is costing businesses about €20 million annually.

To counter this expense, the government is suggesting setting up a centralised inspection agency that would bring all watchdogs under one roof. This would not only carry out inspections itself but also conduct studies on how to simplify the processes and help businesses come up with many solutions themselves.

Read more in the Times of Malta.