The Government needs to move further and faster to reduce the burden of regulation on business and allow the "spirit of enterprise" to flourish, a minister has said.
Employment minister Chris Grayling said the Government should "take a step back" and free people from unnecessary regulation.
He told the Federation of Small Businesses that he planned to go to Brussels to deal with the "tide" of regulation he said was holding back growth.
The Government has made a start with measures including cuts in corporation tax, financial support for manufacturing, changing rules on unfair dismissal, and stopping health and safety inspections for low-risk businesses, he said.
The minister said Britain had the best record on health and safety in Europe, but one of the worst records for "pointless" red tape.
Mr Grayling said recommendations would soon be made, aimed at simplifying the regulatory regime and reducing the risk of "trivial" legal action.
"Whilst there are many things that we can change ourselves, we also have to deal with the European dimension of health and safety law.
"From there, the tide of regulation seems endless. It will hold back growth. It will cost jobs. It will make Europe more uncompetitive, and it has to stop.
"My philosophy on health and safety is very simple. We should be tough on employers who risk death or serious injury, but we should leave the rest to work with as little interference as possible.
"My aim is to rebuild our regulatory system so it does just that."