Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to ensure continuity of supply for steroid treatments in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

The Government remains committed to leaving the European Union with a deal. However, as a responsible Government, we will continue to prepare to minimise any disruption to the supply of medicines and medical products in a potential ‘no deal’ scenario.

The Government fully understands that maintaining access to steroid treatments is vitally important to many people in this country. We are continuing to work with trade bodies and other stakeholders to carefully review the implications of the extension to the Article 50 period until 31 October at the latest, before sharing further guidance with industry at the earliest opportunity.

On 26 April we wrote to suppliers advising that, until further guidance is provided, all no-deal measures (such as stockpiles, additional buffer stocks, etc) should remain in place but on hold.