Compassionate Use Medicine Schemes: VAT

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff Excerpts

Tuesday 16th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Cancer charities are important in this area, and we are certainly engaging with them; they are very invested partners. I understand why people are concerned. This is not instead of the NHS. NHS medicines are provided on the advice and guidance of NICE, and that absolutely continues. As I say, what we need to do, and what we will do, is work with everyone concerned to find a solution quickly, because we want to support the pharma companies that continue to donate what are very important medicines.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

My Lords, do the Government recognise that it has been estimated that, for each pound invested in research, there is an approximate 25p return on that in perpetuity. Therefore, we should avoid anything which disincentivises research investment in this country, which would include the inability to recruit patients if they have to be told that, even if the treatment is successful, they will not be able to access it on the NHS afterwards because the NICE approval processes are too slow for many of these substances. Will the Government therefore undertake to speed up the NICE assessment processes to make sure that patients are not disadvantaged and research is not disincentivised?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

Indeed, we will. I can tell the noble Baroness how important speeding up access to medicines is. That is why, in April, we introduced the joint MHRA-NICE pathway for medicines, which will speed up access to new medicines by some three to six very valuable months. We have also brought in the early access to medicines scheme, the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway, and the innovative medicines fund. All these mean that, across the regulatory and access system, innovative treatments will be available to patients who need them earlier, as the noble Baroness rightly called for.