Cutting through red-tape for ease of compliance with the law. Either that or subsidise businesses who need to use them.
For some bizarre reason it is really difficult to study the British Standards legislation unless you buy each 1 at an exorbitant amount of £160 or so. Libraries will let you view them on computer (with a password or some such twaddle) but you can only print off something like 15%.
If tradesmen are expected to follow these standards then for goodness sake make them accessible!