AQW 25655/17-22

Mrs Pam Cameron
Democratic Unionist Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 11/11/2021
Answered On Date: 19/11/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department is aware if pharmacies and pharmaceutical suppliers based in Northern Ireland are stockpiling particular medicines to prepare in the event of no easements being made to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland restrictions on the movement of medicines from Great Britain.

Answer:

The UK Government has been in ongoing technical talks with the EU regarding the scope for constructive, ongoing discussions. Lord Frost made a statement on Northern Ireland to the House of Lords on Monday 6th September 2021. The unilateral statement stated that “…to provide space for potential further discussions, and to give certainty and stability to businesses while any such discussions proceed, the Government will continue to operate the Protocol on the current basis. This includes the grace periods and easements currently in force”.

The grace period means that the current processes for moving medicines between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will continue to be administered as they have been up to this point. This provides a basis on which businesses and citizens can operate as UK-EU discussions continue and currently removes the need to stockpile.

I am unable to provide any details on arrangements put in place by individual companies as this information is commercially sensitive. However the pharmaceutical industry will have their own existing arrangements in place for managing supply chains.

Lord Frost’s statement to the House of Lords also indicated that “…We will ensure that reasonable notice is provided in the event that these arrangements were to change, to enable businesses and citizens to prepare”.

My Department, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have been and will continue working with industry and community pharmacy to help ensure the continuity of medicines supply.