Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the extension of Orkambi's licence to treat patients aged six and over, what support his Department is giving to further negotiations among NICE, NHS England and the drug manufacturer, Vertex, on access to that medicine for people with cystic fibrosis.

The Department wants patients with cystic fibrosis to benefit from clinically and cost effective treatments, and we welcome the on-going dialogue between Vertex and NHS England to pursue a deal that would make Orkambi available to National Health Service patients.