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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the European Commission on the status of phthalates; and what steps her Department plans to take to recognise DEHP, DIBP, DBP and BBP phthalates as endocrine-disrupting chemicals for human health.

The European Commission has now recognised the four substances as endocrine-disrupting chemicals for human health. This scientific assessment was supported by the UK and is in line with our policy approach towards chemicals management.