Pesticides: Licensing

(asked on 18th August 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether new processes for determining pesticide use applications will be compliant with the environmental decision-making aspects of the Aarhus Convention.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 6th September 2021

EU Exit legislation has carried across the statutory requirements of the EU regime relating to standards of protection. We now operate an autonomous GB pesticides regime, and decisions on standards are a matter for the UK Government and Devolved Administrations. EU pesticides legislation continues to apply in Northern Ireland, under the terms of the NI Protocol.

Decisions on pesticide authorisation are based on expert assessment by the Health and Safety Executive. The independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides advises on novel scientific issues. The scientific risk assessment relies upon detailed data requirements and processes, carried across from EU law at the end of the Transition Period.

Risk assessments made for pesticide active substance approvals are subject to public consultation. These assessments establish the key risks posed by pesticide substances in representative conditions of use. There are requirements in the retained pesticides regulation to make the applicant’s summary dossier, the draft assessment report (on which a period of time is permitted for written comments) and the conclusion publicly available. There are no similar requirements in the regulation in respect of applications for emergency authorisation. We continue making decisions on pesticides use based on scientific risk assessments, while aiming to achieve high levels of protection for people, wildlife and the environment.

The Government is committed to the continued effective implementation of our international obligations under the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision making and access to justice in environmental matters. The Government strongly supports the contribution the Convention makes to enhancing environmental protection and remains committed to its objectives. The three pillars of the Convention have been implemented via a number of measures, including legislation such as the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

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