Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the unforeseen clearance issues, if any, that have delayed the publication of the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) assessment of the responses to the consultation on the phasing out of toxic lead ammunition that was due on 6 August; and whether they expect the HSE to deliver a dossier of options on the phasing out of toxic lead ammunition by 6 November, as legally required.

The restriction process in the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation (REACH) contains multiple stages for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to undertake in their role as the REACH Agency. Having agreed, in 2021, to prepare a restriction dossier in respect of the risks posed by the use of lead in ammunition to human health and the environment, HSE has progressed a number of these stages, including formulating a risk assessment opinion by the 6 August 2023 as required.

The next stage is for HSE to publish this final opinion on risk assessment and open a 60-day public consultation on a separate opinion on socioeconomic analysis. To ensure that these are as robust and transparent as they need to be, there are established HSE internal clearance processes at various stages. This clearance process is well underway with the publication of the risk assessment opinion and public consultation on the socioeconomic analysis expected in the first half of October.

REACH legislation does allow HSE to amend the deadline for delivery of its final restriction opinion. The current stage of the clearance process means that the scheduled delivery date of 6 November 2023 will be changed and a new date will be identified shortly.