Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency being excluded from the European Medicines Agency during the implementation period after the UK leaves the EU.

During the implementation period, the United Kingdom will no longer be a Member State of the European Union, but market access will continue on current terms.

It will be in the interests of both sides for the UK to participate in some EU bodies and agencies, including the European Medicines Agency, during the implementation period - and the agreement we have reached allows for this.

The UK is fully committed to continuing the close working relationship with our European partners. As my Rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister outlined in her Mansion House speech, we will want to make sure our regulators continue to work together and the UK is keen to explore with the EU the terms on which the UK could remain part of EU agencies that are critical for medicines and other industries after the implementation period.

Our aim is to ensure that patients in the UK and across the EU continue to be able to access the best and most innovative medicines and be assured that their safety is protected through the strongest regulatory framework and sharing of data.