Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on Denmark's decision to ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food packaging for reasons of public health.

The Department of Health and Social Care regularly engages with other government departments, including the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on a range of topics related to chemicals and chemical policy and is aware of Denmark’s national ban preventing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) being intentionally used in paper and board food-contact applications.

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) is an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the Department of Health and Social Care, the FSA, and other departments and agencies on matters concerning the toxicity of chemicals, including PFAS. The FSA regularly reviews new information on this subject and will consider COT’s upcoming review of the European Food Safety Authority’s scientific opinion on PFAS in food packaging.