Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of the UK seeking associate membership of the European Chemicals Agency after the end of the transition period.

The Government's position is that we will not remain within the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, so we are not seeking to remain part of EU REACH or to participate in the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

In May the Government published its proposal for a chemicals annex, with inclusion of data sharing mechanisms with the EU and the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Health and Safety Executive and ECHA to facilitate regulator to regulator co-operation.