§ Sir Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of the European Union's chemicals management system REACH on(a) the relative costs of the manufacture and use of chemicals in member states in competition with finished manufactured articles imported into the EU and (b) the confidentiality of commercially-sensitive product manufacturing information; and if she will make a statement. [87023]
§ Mr. MeacherIn May 2001, the Government prepared a partial regulatory impact assessment to consider the impact of the European Union's chemicals management system REACH. A full regulatory impact assessment, with a more detailed cost benefit analysis, taking into account the wider economic impact will be carried out once the Commission has published its proposals.
The Government are committed to having a transparent system and would expect to see as much information as possible made publicly available, which would certainly include basic hazard and exposure data associated with substances. However, in order to avoid free riders and to avoid stifling innovation, adequate controls on access to genuinely commercially sensitive data are needed whilst recognising the right of the public to have access to relevant and meaningful information on hazards and risk. We have had discussions with a number of stakeholders and will seek to work with the European Commission to ensure practical proposals come forward.
The Government and devolved Administrations have agreed a position statement on the New European Chemical Strategy, a copy of this is in the House Library and can be found on the Defra website at