Committee publication · Correspondence · 8 July 2026 · HC 852
Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating the Government's response to the committees report on Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), 8 July
From: Environmental Audit Committee
Inquiry: Addressing the risks from Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Summary
The Environmental Audit Committee thanks the government for its response to its PFAS report and welcomes commitments to use international evidence and reform UK REACH. However, the committee seeks urgent clarification on how the UK will practically engage with European Chemicals Agency decisions, the timelines involved, and how stakeholder consultation will be managed alongside accelerated regulatory processes.
Key findings
- Government intends to draw on international evidence, including European Chemicals Agency decisions, to inform UK REACH decisions
- Government committed to reforming UK REACH to enable restrictions to be applied more quickly
- Limited detail provided by government on practical mechanisms for implementing the proposed approach
- Unclear whether UK will wait for EU decisions to be finalised before beginning its own decision-making process
- Lack of clarity on timelines for UK decisions and how they will be balanced against stakeholder consultation
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Environmental Audit Committee, Emma Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, European Chemicals Agency, Toby Perkins MP
Notable line
“… the response provides limited detail on how this proposed approach will operate in practice.”
Key Quotes
“We welcome the Government's intention to draw on the international evidence base on PFAS, including decisions of the European Chemicals Agency, to inform decisions under UK REACH”
“It is not clear whether the UK will wait for EU decisions to be finalised before beginning its own decision-making process, or in what timeframe the Government expects the UK to decide whether to adopt, mirror, or depart from EU REACH decisions.”
“The Committee would also welcome further information on how UK stakeholders will be consulted on decisions, and how this engagement will be balanced against the objective of accelerating regulatory timelines.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗