The UK chemicals industry gave a cautious welcome to the government’s draft Brexit agreement with the EU last month.

In a statement, the Chemicals Industry Association (CIA) said that it gave businesses in the sector hope that their key concerns could still be addressed.

The three main areas of concern for those working in the chemicals sector, according to the CIA, are “frictionless, tariff-free trade, regulatory consistency [and] access to skilled people”.

A joint statement from CIA chief executive Steve Elliott and director general of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) Marco Mensink stated that they were particularly positive about the talk of cooperation with European bodies.

The European Medicines Agency, the European Chemicals Agency and the European Aviation Safety Agency were among those specifically mentioned by Mr Elliott and Mr Mensink as organisations where the possibility of cooperation is being explored. .

They added: “Given this commitment, chemical business in the EU27 and the UK will be working with negotiators to ensure the UK’s continued participation in the European Chemicals Agency.”

However, there are a number of hurdles that could spell the end of the draft agreement that prime minister Theresa May is trying to get through parliament. There is considerable opposition to the plans, with MPs set to vote later this month but the prime minister far from certain of victory in the House of Commons.

There’s no doubt that mineral processing companies and many others in the chemical industry, not to mention other sectors, will be closely watching to see how Mrs May performs as she answers MPs’ questions and what the outcome of that vote will be.