Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the regulations in the Poisons Act 1972 on the (a) sale, (b) possession and (c) use of (i) phosphoric acid, (ii) hydrochloric acid, (iii) sodium hydroxide, (iv) ammonia and (v) hydrofluoric acid.

We have no plans to currently amend the regulations in the Poisons Act 1972 on the sale, possession and use of phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, ammonia or hydrofluoric acid. We will continue to keep the Act under review.

Phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, sodium hydroxide, ammonia and ammonium hydroxide are all reportable poisons and this means retailers and wholesalers are required to report suspicious transactions, significant losses and thefts to the national contact point.