Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impacts of the delay it takes to add medication to the price concessions list on a) pharmacies finances, b) their ability to backfill medication and c) speed that patients are able to access prescriptions.

Market prices of medicines can increase for several reasons, including normal market forces, manufacturing issues, and wider supply chain pressures, and prices can go up as well as down. Where the market price of a medicine suddenly increases, concessionary prices can be granted in that month, increasing the reimbursement price above the Drug Tariff price, with the aim of mitigating pharmacies dispensing at a loss. With regards to the wider assessment of potential impacts of delays, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 1 June 2026 in response to Question 3946.