Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will review the impact of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals on public health; and what steps his Department plans to take to mitigate associated risks of exposure.

The UK Health Security Agency keeps the evidence on potential health impacts of environmental pollution, including endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), under review. The Government also works with international partners, including the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, to ensure approaches reflect current scientific understanding.

The risks to human health and the environment from individual chemicals are assessed and regulated at a national level by the relevant authorities, including the Health and Safety Executive, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Agency and the Environment Agency.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs states that regulatory action can and has been taken to address the risks from EDCs. The concern for EDCs, which have been linked to numerous human health and wildlife impacts, is a complex scientific issue. The approach to risk assessment and management makes use of the best available evidence to maintain high standards of protection. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs commissions research and engage with the scientific community, experts within the regulatory bodies and non-governmental organisations to build understanding of EDCs.