Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera
2026-02-18
The speaker, responding to a member's query, outlined government measures to regulate chemicals identified as threats to national security. Of 15 chemicals identified, regulatory powers over 8 have already been assigned to relevant institutions, while a Cabinet Memorandum has been submitted to vest authority over the remaining 7 chemicals in the National Authority for the Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Ministry of Defence is leading efforts to draft legislation to comprehensively regulate nationally security-sensitive chemicals, addressing a longstanding gap in having a designated lead institution for this purpose.
Hon. Member, we have paid special attention to this. We have submitted a Cabinet Memorandum as well. As I noted earlier, we are preparing adequate regulations to regulate the chemicals identified as posing threats to national security and those to be identified in the future. The longstanding need for a lead institution is also being addressed. Of the 15 chemicals identified, powers over 8 have already been vested in the relevant institutions, and we have taken steps to submit a Cabinet Memorandum to entrust the regulatory power over the 7 subsequently-identified chemicals to the National Authority for the Implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Accordingly, with the intervention of the Ministry of Defence, we have commenced work on preparing the necessary draft laws to regulate chemicals that impact national security.