The Government has unveiled proposals to tighten controls on chemicals and natural materials that can be used to make explosives or highly toxic poisons, following recommendations from the Southport Inquiry.
Under the plans, castor beans containing ricin and rosary peas containing abrin would be added to the list of regulated poisons under the Poisons Act 1972.
This would make it a criminal offence to sell the regulated materials to members of the public who do not hold a valid licence.
The Government is also consulting on wider changes intended to make it harder to obtain other dangerous poisons and chemicals capable of being used to manufacture explosives.
The measures are proposals and are not yet in force. A Home Office consultation opened on 1 October and runs until 11 November 2026.
Government acts after Southport Inquiry
The proposals follow recommendations made during phase one of the Southport Inquiry.
Police searching the home of the perpetrator of the July 2024 Southport attack found evidence that he had bought castor beans online and used them to produce ricin. He was subsequently convicted of an offence under the Biological Weapons Act 1974 relating to the production of the toxin.
The Government accepted all 67 recommendations made in the inquiry's phase-one report, including a recommendation that the Home Office's review of the sale of castor beans consider regulation of the quantity that can be sold in a single transaction.
A targeted Home Office review into the sale and availability of castor beans was completed in May 2026.
Castor beans and rosary peas targeted
Ricin and abrin are already tightly controlled because of their extreme toxicity, but the plants and seeds from which they can be produced can have legitimate uses, including gardening and decoration.
The Government is proposing to bring castor beans containing ricin and rosary peas containing abrin within the regulated-poisons regime.
Members of the public wishing to acquire regulated substances can, in certain circumstances, apply for a licence where they have a legitimate need and there is no safer alternative.
Wider crackdown on dangerous chemicals
The consultation goes beyond the two plant-derived toxins and proposes amendments to the wider regulatory framework covering explosives precursors and poisons under the Poisons Act 1972.
The Government says the objective is to ensure that access to dangerous substances is appropriately restricted while maintaining access for legitimate users.
Businesses and retailers can also be subject to obligations concerning suspicious transactions involving relevant substances.
The consultation applies to England, Scotland and Wales and seeks views from the public, businesses, manufacturers and people who legitimately use explosives precursors or poisons professionally, for hobbies or in the home.
Security Minister: 'We will close the gaps'
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said protecting the public was the Government's first duty.
He said that while the substances concerned can have legitimate uses, the Government wanted to prevent them being weaponised by people seeking to cause harm.
Jarvis said ministers would “close the gaps exposed by the Southport attack” and tighten the law to prevent dangerous chemicals falling into the wrong hands.
Consultation before changes are made
The Home Office consultation began on 1 October and closes on 11 November 2026.
A Government response will be published after the consultation.
The announcement therefore does not mean the proposed restrictions have already become law. The Government is consulting on amendments to the existing framework before final decisions are made.