Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2018 to Question 122208, if he will make it his policy to conduct an assessment of the potential merits of issuing maternity exemption certificates to people taking adoption leave.

The Department has no plans to undertake an assessment of the potential merits of issuing maternity exemption certificates to people taking adoption leave. Almost 90% of prescription items are free on the National Health Service in England and for those who do not qualify for an exemption, prescription prepayment certificates are available. A holder of a 12 month certificate can get all the prescriptions they need for just £2 per week.