| Summary: |
This document contains the UK government's response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollutions report, "Novel Materials in the Environment: The Case Of Nanotechnology." The government is in agreement with the Commission that more effort is required to ensure responsible nanotechnology development, and intends to develop a UK strategy to build on existing activities and set a strategic direction. This response is organized into five themes, which reflect the government's priorities: Government coordination on nanotechnology, protecting human health and the environment, building the evidence base, delivering more effective regulation, and widening public engagement and capturing the benefits. While the government largely agrees with the Commission's recommendations in these areas, there are points of disagreement. The Commission's report suggested that companies should be obligated to report reasonable suspicions of risky nanomaterials at the earliest opportunity, and be conferred immunity from criminal liability for doing so. However, the government believes that prosecutorial decisions should be left to the enforcing authorities, as is presently done under existing UK laws, which do not confer immunity but only allow for "due diligence" as a potential defense. |