Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of Government funding for pharmacies.

In addition to Government funding set out within the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) community pharmacies can also receive Government funding from local National Health Service teams and local authorities for locally commissioned services. The data currently available to the Department allow regular and reliable monitoring of funding provided via the CPCF for the reimbursement of dispensed products on NHS prescriptions, including margin, and the delivery of fees and allowances. This is regularly assessed and shared on a confidential basis with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and following negotiations adjustments are made to ensure that the full allocation of funding is delivered.