Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 3.57 of the 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access, what criteria will be used to define the five highest health gain categories; whether NHS England has plans to consult on the selection of categories; when he plans to announce those categories; and which comparator countries will be selected for comparison.

NHS England, working with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and officials from the Department, has begun scoping work to support the identification of the five highest health gain categories as part of the implementation of the Voluntary Scheme. NHS England anticipates engaging with interested stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical industry, over the course of 2019.