§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has formulated any response to the European Community Commission's EINECS proposal on chemical testing.
§ Mr. ForthThere is no EINECS proposal on chemical testing. EINECS is the European inventory of existing commercial chemical substances, a list of approximately 100,000 chemicals which were on the European Community market between 1 January 1971 and 18 January 1981. Such substances are exempt from the notification scheme for new substances established by the sixth amendment to the European Community dangerous substances directive.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment which committees of the European Community on which Her Majesty's Government are represented are currently reviewing the subject of chemical testing.
§ Mr. ForthHer Majesty's Government are represented on three main committees which review industrial chemical testing. Those currently in existence are
The competent authorities committee for the implementation of directive 79/831/EEC.The national co-ordination committee for testing methods which oversees all testing methods.The technical progress committee which is responsible for approving changes in legislation for testing methods.