Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Brexit has resulted in any changes in the UK’s participation in, and access to, the European Medicines Agency; if so, what assessment they have made of the impact this will have on the UK’s ability to respond to coronavirus; and what steps they intend to take as a result.

As of 1 January 2020, we are in the transition period during which the United Kingdom will continue to follow European legislation and European Medicines Agency (EMA) processes and decisions until 31 December 2020. We continue to receive public safety information from the EMA and have firm links with the World Health Organization and other key international public health organisations working on this issue. The Government has set out its negotiation approach with the European Union, which includes commitments for cooperation and information sharing to enable regulators to act promptly to safeguard patient safety and public health.

The UK is a world leader in preparing for and managing public health incidents and on 3 March the Government published its action plan to tackle the spread of coronavirus. A copy of Coronavirus: action plan. A guide to what you can expect across the UK is attached.