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

Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to convert EU Regulation 1102/2008 into UK law; and, if so, whether a body will assume the role undertaken by the European Commission for reviewing ongoing research activities and ensuring compliance by the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Regulation (EC) No 1102/2008 will be repealed with effect from 1 January 2018 by EU Regulation 2017/852.

This regulation will be directly applicable in the UK, and as an EU member, we will also make secondary legislation to set enforcement rules for the new requirements later this year. This will enable the UK to meet its global commitment to reducing the harmful impact of mercury as a signatory of the UN’s Minamata Convention on mercury.

The Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of chemicals regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. It would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of the negotiations at this stage.