Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Audit Office's report, Exiting the EU: supplying the health and social care sectors, published on 27 October 2019, what discussions he has had with healthcare providers to assess the adequacy of (a) medicines, (b) medical supplies, (c) freight capacity for securing continued supplies in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019.

On 27 September the National Audit Office published a report on the readiness of the Department’s ‘no deal’ European Union exit preparations for the supply of medicines and medical products. The Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for EU exit. We want to reassure patients that our plans should ensure the supply of medicines and medical products when we leave the EU on 31 October.

The Department is working hand in hand with NHS England and NHS Improvement to facilitate our plans. We have also been working closely with trade bodies, product suppliers and the wider health and care system in England, and with the devolved administrations who have similarly been working closely with their health and social care systems.