The idea
Recently a number of ministers (from both this and the previous government) have "advised" enforcement bodies to take a light approach, or a common sense approach to certain legislation, or even to ignore it altogether. If this legisaltion is trivial or petty, then it should be removed.
It's not for enforcement bodies to decide what legislation is worthwhile, and what isn't; that's what we pay politicians for. So if health and safety legislation is petty, get rid of it, and leave the non-petty regulation in place; then support enforcement authorities, when they enforce it.
If weights and measures legislation is draconian and petty, get rid of it. Allow sellers to use whatever units they like – the pound, the drachm, the bowl, the handful, but don't leave it on the statute books, then demonise officers for caring about compliance with the law.
Clear out the dross, so that everyone knows that the law, is the law.
Why is it important?
Legitimate businesses will spend a lot of time and effort complying with legislation (whatever they think of it). They are penalised, when others are allowed to ignore the law with impunity (because it's politically expedient)
Alternatively, businesses make a judgement as to which laws they will comply with, and which they won't. That leads to the danger that a business in one area will get away with doing something that a business in another area won't, and this leads to an"if it's ok to break that law, why isn't it ok to break this one?", attitude.
Enforcement officers are forced to make judgements about what they will enforce, and what they won't (with the same outcome as stated above), and become demoralised, when they aren't supported and are treated as some sort of fascist for doing what they see as their job; seeing fair play.