A consultation is under way to investigate whether the UK pesticides regulator, the Pesticides Safety Directorate, should merge with the body charged with protecting human health and safety at work, the Health and Safety Executive.
The merger has been identified by DEFRA ministers and management board as the best solution to the need to reduce the burden of regulation on business outlined in a report by Philip Hampton in 2005.
Links between the two organisations already exist as they work together on pesticide enforcement issues.
The HSE, as well as its role protecting worker safety, also has a role in the assessment of industrial chemicals and biocides.
The aim would be to produce a single focused UK chemical regulator for pesticides, biocides, detergents and industrial chemicals, although PSD would maintain its distinct identity.
An alternative suggestion of linking PSD with DEFRA's Plant Health Division, the Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division (PVS) and the Central Science Laboratory (CSL) into a new Regulatory Science Agency was rejected because DEFRA felt there were more synergies with HSE.
A merger is expected to save approximately £10m.
You can get more information on the consultation or to participate on the DEFRA website.