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

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the new system for regulating chemicals which requires technical information to be submitted by businesses to the Health and Safety Executive within two years of the end of the implementation period will be used to improve environmental standards.

After the transition period, we will maintain an effective regulatory system for the management and control of chemicals which safeguards human health and the environment and can respond to emerging risks. One of the chemicals regulation regimes, UK REACH, will require submission of information by industry within two years to demonstrate their understanding of the risks and safe management of a given substance.

This information is required to operate an effective regulatory regime, to understand the hazards and risks of chemicals markets and to ensure their safe use. It will inform the assessment of the risks specific substances pose to human health and the environment and therefore any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate these risks such as identifying Substances of Very High Concern.