420.This section introduces Schedule 21. The Schedule abolishes the Poisons Board and amends the Poisons Act 1972 to introduce a common regime for regulating (a) activities involving non-medicinal poisons and (b) activities involving explosives precursors (explosives precursors are chemicals that can be used to make explosives). At present, the sale of non-medicinal poisons is regulated by the Poisons Act 1972, while activities involving explosives precursors are regulated by EU Regulation 98/2013 (which came into force in the UK on 2 September 2014). The new regime established by Schedule 21 brings the regulation of poisons into line with the regulation of explosives precursors under the EU Regulation and allow for a single licensing regime to cover both poisons and explosives precursors. See the commentary on Schedule 21.
421.This section and Schedule 21 form part of the law of England and Wales and Scotland and come into force on a day to be appointed by the Secretary of State in a commencement order.