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Written question asked by David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 3 November 2025. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 November 2025 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.


Biocidal Products: Regulation

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Health and Safety Executive will take steps to align with (a) EU mandatory hazard classifications (under EU Classification, Labelling & Packaging Regulation) and (b) EU decisions to (i) approve, (ii) not to approve, (iii) restrict and (iv) ban biocide active substances.

Answer

In Great Britain (GB) chemicals are regulated under a framework that was largely inherited from the EU system including the GB Classification, Labelling and Packing Regulation (GB CLP) and the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR).

GB CLP like EU CLP adopts the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of classification and labelling of chemicals (‘the UN GHS’); a voluntary internationally agreed system, upon which the classification and labelling provisions of GB CLP are based. Divergence between mandatory hazard classifications for chemicals (GB mandatory classification and labelling (GB MCLs)) and EU mandatory hazard classifications has been minimal to-date.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted a public consultation between 23 June and 18 August 2025 on proposals for reforming both GB CLP and GB BPR. The GB BPR proposals included a proposal to adopt approvals from recognised jurisdictions. It is anticipated that the EU would be a recognised jurisdiction which would make it easier to adopt EU decisions where appropriate for GB. The analysis of the consultation responses is underway, and all final decisions including any decisions to align with the EU on GB CLP and GB BPR are subject to parliamentary scrutiny.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
86529
Session
2024-26
Related items
Biocidal Products: Regulation
Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Written questions
House of Commons
Biocidal Products: Regulation
Wednesday, 3 December 2025
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects
EU law Regulation Biocidal products
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk