§ Mr. McLoughlinTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government are taking to ensure that scientific risk assessments are carried out before EU legislation is introduced banning or restricting the use of well established chemicals or metals that in her view are used safely and responsibly; and if she will make a statement. [46970]
§ Mr. MeacherThe main route to EU based restrictions on well-established chemicals is through the European Community's Existing Substances Regulation (793/93/EEC). The Regulation requires that risk assessments are prepared before proposals for restrictions or bans can be considered. The UK plays an active role in the operation of the Regulation, including carrying out a number of the assessments. Should unacceptable uses be identified by the risk assessment, the Member State Rapporteur will prepare a risk reduction strategy. This will include an analysis of the advantages and drawbacks of potential risk reduction measures and lead to a recommendation in the Official Journal for further Community action as appropriate. A small number of chemicals are also subject to restrictions through discussions arising from Member State notifications under the Technical Standards Directive 98/34/EC, concerns identified by the European Commission's scientific committees or other international programmes. Whenever these are debated the UK presses for an appropriate risk assessment to be carried out.