Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of occupational exposure limits and maximum exposure limits for formaldehyde in the UK being higher than those of France, Germany and several other European member states.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The EU has recently reviewed the occupational exposure limit value for formaldehyde, and in the Phase 3 amendment to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive 2004/37/EC, introduced a new binding occupational exposure limit value (BOELV) of 0.3ppm, which came into force on 11 July 2019. The current GB work place exposure limit (WEL) is 2ppm.
Member States have two years to transpose the new BOELV (i.e. by 11 July 2021). Because of differences in cultural practices; cost of embalming and greater capacity in the facilities available; and the limited use of embalming in other Members States, the UK negotiated an additional 3-year transitional period (until July 2024) for the funeral and embalming sector, during which time an interim BOELV of 0.5ppm will apply. This is to allow the UK funeral and embalming sector to comply with the Directive without incurring disproportionate costs.
The Health and Safety Executive is currently working to implement the revised exposure limits for formaldehyde.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Health and Safety Executive will revisit its current work place exposure limits for formaldehyde.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The EU has recently reviewed the occupational exposure limit value for formaldehyde, and in the Phase 3 amendment to the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive 2004/37/EC, introduced a new binding occupational exposure limit value (BOELV) of 0.3ppm, which came into force on 11 July 2019. The current GB work place exposure limit (WEL) is 2ppm.
Member States have two years to transpose the new BOELV (i.e. by 11 July 2021). Because of differences in cultural practices; cost of embalming and greater capacity in the facilities available; and the limited use of embalming in other Members States, the UK negotiated an additional 3-year transitional period (until July 2024) for the funeral and embalming sector, during which time an interim BOELV of 0.5ppm will apply. This is to allow the UK funeral and embalming sector to comply with the Directive without incurring disproportionate costs.
The Health and Safety Executive is currently working to implement the revised exposure limits for formaldehyde.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a no-deal Brexit on the restrictions planned for formaldehyde releases from articles, including wood-based panels, under the European Chemical Agency's REACH authorisation list.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Under the Construction Products Regulation, MDF manufactured in Europe must be labelled to European standards ‘E1’ or ‘E2’. 95% of EU companies comply voluntarily with the ‘E1’ standard, meeting World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
Proposals for a restriction to control formaldehyde releases from articles (which would include wood-based panels) are being considered under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regime. The European Chemicals Agency is expected to produce its opinion on the proposal around 20 March 2020, though the subsequent adoption of a legislative decision will be dependent on the outcome of further discussions.
In a no deal exit from the EU, all existing EU restrictions will continue in the UK. A UK REACH system would retain the process for restricting a chemical.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to restrict the use of formaldehyde in domestic articles such as MDF panels that are found to emit formaldehyde fumes that exceed World Health Organization safety limits.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Under the Construction Products Regulation, MDF manufactured in Europe must be labelled to European standards ‘E1’ or ‘E2’. 95% of EU companies comply voluntarily with the ‘E1’ standard, meeting World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
Proposals for a restriction to control formaldehyde releases from articles (which would include wood-based panels) are being considered under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regime. The European Chemicals Agency is expected to produce its opinion on the proposal around 20 March 2020, though the subsequent adoption of a legislative decision will be dependent on the outcome of further discussions.
In a no deal exit from the EU, all existing EU restrictions will continue in the UK. A UK REACH system would retain the process for restricting a chemical.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to abide by the guidance and emissions limits set out under the 2015 EU Industrial Emissions Directive, following its implementation date on 20 November, whether or not the UK continues to be a member of the EU.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Yes. The UK is committed to maintaining environmental standards after we leave the EU and will continue to apply the existing successful model of integrated pollution control, using Best Available Techniques to control emission limits. The EU Withdrawal Act 2018 maintains established environmental principles and ensures that existing EU environmental law will continue to have effect in UK law, including the Industrial Emissions Directive (2010/75/EU).
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to seek a trade agreement along similar lines to the EU–Mercosur trade agreement once the UK has departed the EU; if so, whether they have begun any such discussions with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay; and when they expect any such negotiations to be concluded.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement reached political conclusion on 28 June 2019. This means that we have yet to receive the final text, which would be needed to assess the impacts of the final negotiated outcome, including which commercial sectors would benefit. This text is unlikely to be available for some time since the EU and Mercosur are still finalising the details of the agreement, which will then need to undergo legal review and official translation.
We welcome the news of political conclusion between the EU and Mercosur on a Free Trade Agreement. As a global champion of trade, the UK has been a strong advocate for these negotiations. The UK has longstanding positive bilateral relationships with individual Mercosur countries and we look forward to deepening our trading ties as we leave the EU. We will be working with our Mercosur partners to develop our future trade relationship in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of the EU–Mercosur trade agreement; and which commercial sectors in the UK are expected to benefit from this agreement.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement reached political conclusion on 28 June 2019. This means that we have yet to receive the final text, which would be needed to assess the impacts of the final negotiated outcome, including which commercial sectors would benefit. This text is unlikely to be available for some time since the EU and Mercosur are still finalising the details of the agreement, which will then need to undergo legal review and official translation.
We welcome the news of political conclusion between the EU and Mercosur on a Free Trade Agreement. As a global champion of trade, the UK has been a strong advocate for these negotiations. The UK has longstanding positive bilateral relationships with individual Mercosur countries and we look forward to deepening our trading ties as we leave the EU. We will be working with our Mercosur partners to develop our future trade relationship in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish a national dementia strategy for beyond 2020; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We expect to publish a new dementia strategy for England for the period 2020 to 2025 early next year.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards meeting the aims of the Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
We have committed to implement fully the Government’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 strategy to make this country the best place in the world to live with dementia.
Our recent review of progress tells us we are largely on track to meet our commitments to improve the lives of those living with dementia, their families and carers. The Dementia 2020 Challenge: 2018 Review Phase 1 report is attached.
Examples of progress we have made so far with our delivery partners include more than two thirds of people with dementia receiving a diagnosis, over 2.8 million people becoming Dementia Friends and 365 areas in England committing to being Dementia Friendly Communities. In the £250 million Dementia Discovery Fund we have the largest venture fund in the world aimed at discovering and developing novel pre-clinical therapies for dementia.
Asked by: Baroness Crawley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to commemorate in 2020 the 80th anniversary of the forming of the Special Operations Executive (SOE); and whether they will introduce a recognised annual date to commemorate the SOE.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A major event was held in 2015 to mark the 75th anniversary of the foundation of Special Operations Executive. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not aware of any plans at present for a further commemoration.