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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the benefit to the UK of membership of the European Chemicals Agency.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) undertakes assessments, scrutinises and provides opinions on industry applications for authorisations to use some of the most hazardous chemicals, recommends restrictions on other dangerous chemicals and manages data of all chemicals on the EU market. Chemicals must be registered with the ECHA to access the single market.

While the UK remains a member of the EU we will continue to fully participate in the work of the ECHA.

We are committed to maintaining an effective regulatory system for the management and control of chemicals which safeguards human health and the environment and can respond to emerging risks, as well as creating an open and competitive business environment.