Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the EU about the possibility of seeking an exemption for Northern Ireland on any ban on mercury-based dental amalgam.

The Government published an explanatory memorandum for the European Union’s (EU) mercury products legislation COM(23)395 and C(23)4683, on 1 November 2023. The final regulation has not yet been published by the EU, and we continue to assess the potential impacts. The Windsor Framework provides important mechanisms for robust engagement on matters of regulatory policy between the EU and the United Kingdom, as well as a guarantee of democratic oversight for the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Government has regular conversations with the EU about Windsor Framework-related matters.