Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what consultation her Department is holding on whether the TRIPS Agreement should be extended to cover covid-19 therapeutics and diagnostic tests.

Consultations with other government departments are ongoing on whether the MC12 TRIPS Decision be extended to include COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics. UK Government officials will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders, as well as with other World Trade Organization Members at the TRIPS Council. The UK looks forward to making progress in this area and remains committed to engaging constructively.