What is a regulation?

The concept of regulation primarily refers to rules made by government officials or regulatory agencies to control or govern conduct within a specific context, often relating to industry practices, safety standards, environmental protection, and public health. These regulations are essential for maintaining order and ensuring compliance with broader laws.

In the context of power engineering, for example, regulations may outline safety standards that operators must follow to ensure the safe and efficient operation of power plants and equipment. Such regulations are enforceable by law and are designed to protect the welfare of the public, workers, and the environment in which they operate.

The other options describe different legal or governance concepts which do not specifically capture the essence of what a regulation is. While a written law passed by Parliament represents statutes, and individual rights granted by the Constitution refer to protections for citizens, neither are synonymous with the regulatory frameworks enforced by governmental agencies. Similarly, private agreements between individuals hold no regulatory power and are based on contract law, rather than public regulatory standards established to ensure compliance across an industry.