Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the Customs Union on the the ability of the NHS to procure medicines and medical devices.

The potential implications of the United Kingdom leaving the customs union on the ability of the National Health Service to procure medicines and medical devices are currently being assessed.

It is in the interest of both the UK and European Union to avoid disruption in the timely access of these products; and to ensure that cross-border trade with the EU is as frictionless as possible. This will be part of the broader negotiations of the UK’s future relations with the EU.