Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that children who currently have their UK prescriptions for medical cannabis dispensed in the Netherlands will still be able to receive their medicine at the end of the transition period; and if he will make a statement.

From 1 January, United Kingdom prescriptions, including those in Northern Ireland, will no longer be valid in the Netherlands. There are a small number of patients who rely on certain unlicensed cannabis-based medicines that are supplied in the Netherlands against UK prescriptions, almost all of which are private prescriptions.

The Department, supported by the British Embassy to The Hague, has reached an agreement with the Dutch Government to allow the continued supply of Bedrocan oils, a form of unlicensed medicinal cannabis, against United Kingdom prescriptions for existing patients until 1 July 2021. The medicines supply chain has ensured that there continues to be good supply of licensed and unlicensed cannabis-based medicines after the transition period.

The Written Ministerial Statement of 26 January (HCWS734) provided an update on action taken by the Government on supply from the Netherlands and next steps to establish a more permanent solution.