Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to provide financial assistance to pharmacies that qualified for payments under the Essential Small Pharmacies Local Pharmaceutical Services Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

NHS England has been working with all essential small pharmacy local pharmaceutical services contractors. 82 of those on the scheme as at 31 March 2015 have returned to the pharmaceutical list, of which 48 contractors are in discussion with regional teams about proposals for continuing to provide pharmaceutical services under a local contract. 20 contractors are now providing services under such a contract. No community pharmacy has closed as a result of the ending of the scheme.