Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to provide a substantive answer to Question 286312, tabled on 3 September 2019 by the hon. Member for Ilford North.

Our highest priority is for patients to continue to have access to medicines and medical products.

DHSC has contacted 448 suppliers of medicines with an EU touchpoint in their supply chain and more than 1300 suppliers of medical devices and clinical consumables in order to understand their supply chains and their proposed contingency measures.

DHSC is implementing a multi-layered approach to minimise any supply disruption in a ‘no deal’ exit scenario. This includes supporting suppliers to secure alternative routes away from the short straits, stockpiling where practical, putting in place arrangements to deal with shortages in addition to normal shortage management routes, securing additional warehousing space, improving trader readiness and introducing regulatory flexibility.

Our plans should ensure the supply of medicines and medical products remains uninterrupted.