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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (i) mean, (ii) median, (iii) fastest and (iv) slowest timelines were for the permitting of chemical (a) production and (b) processing sites by the Environment Agency over the last ten years.

The Environment Agency’s (EA) target assessment time to process chemical production or processing permit applications is 250 days. These permits are among the most complex the EA handles, involving thorough assessments to protect the environment and public, and to ensure operators are supported and can comply with necessary permit conditions.