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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for setting up a UK chemicals agency in the event that the UK cannot remain part of the European Chemicals Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

One of Defra’s 40 workstreams preparing for leaving the EU is developing, and includes a new system to enable registration and regulation of chemical substances placed on the UK market if access to the EU’s REACH system is not available.

The plans we are working on set out detailed delivery timelines for activities such as: recruiting and training new staff, designing and procuring IT systems and delivery of the necessary legislative and regulatory changes. These timelines are extensively reviewed to ensure we remain on track.

The Government’s priority is to maintain an effective regulatory system for managing and controlling chemicals to safeguard human health and the environment, responding to emerging risks and allowing trade with the EU that is as smooth as possible. The Withdrawal Bill will convert current EU law into domestic law wherever practical, giving consumers and businesses as much certainty as possible. This includes laws relating to chemicals.