Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Spring Budget of 15 March commitment that the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will explore partnerships with trusted international agencies to provide rapid approvals for medicines and technologies that have received their approval from 2024, whether such approvals will apply in Northern Ireland; if so under what legal provisions; and how this complies with the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Windsor Framework, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s international recognition framework, alongside wider regulatory processes for novel medicines, will apply across the United Kingdom. For the transitional period until then, novel medicines will continue to be supplied to Northern Ireland under existing arrangements. Medical technologies will continue to be supplied to Northern Ireland as they are now.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent consultations they have undertaken with the Northern Ireland authorities about changing regulations to allow folic acid to be added to flour.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland and Wales, Food Standards Scotland and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales are jointly conducting a review of The Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and The Bread and Flour (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1998. This is to ensure the Regulations are fit for purpose and support industry in the United Kingdom, while protecting consumers.
Officials from each nation have been in continuous discussion through the review and are preparing to consult on proposals to update the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998, including the implementation of the Government’s plans to introduce the addition of folic acid to non-wholemeal flour.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the full implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland on the supply of medicines to Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
Answered by Lord Kamall
On 17 December 2021, the European Union issued unilateral measures intended to address the barriers created by the Protocol to supplying medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The Government is working with industry to assess these measures in detail and monitor industry behaviour and the impact on patients. We will consider whether the changes to EU law would sufficiently address the issues that the UK Government and stakeholders have identified on the operation of the Protocol.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the devolved governments about a common approach to the vaccination of people working in care and nursing homes.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government has had regular meetings with the devolved administrations since April 2021 to discuss the policy of making vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes in England. The devolved administrations are able to choose whether to adopt a similar policy.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what process will be followed for Northern Ireland in circumstances where the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approves a licence for a medicine but such approval has not been given by the European Medicines Agency.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are committed to maintaining parity of access to medicines across the United Kingdom. In circumstances where the approval dates for products in Great Britain and Northern Ireland differ, doctors can prescribe medicines outside of the label in areas of unmet medical need. The General Medical Council provides clear recommendations to physicians on prescribing medicines which they consider is in the patient’s best interest but may not carry the specific indication. We continue to work with colleagues in Europe to ensure that approval for medicines in Great Britain and Northern Ireland are aligned in the future.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Tagrisso is available to patients in Northern Ireland on the same basis as it is to patients in Great Britain; and if not, what are the differences in its availability.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently authorised a new indication for Tagrisso in Great Britain to help treat early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. This indication for Tagrisso has been authorised by the European Medicines Agency and can be prescribed to patients in Northern Ireland on the same basis as in Great Britain.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of new drugs and medicines in Northern Ireland under the separate licensing arrangements established by the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are continuing to engage with the European Union on the movement of medicines into Northern Ireland, as part of conversations regarding outstanding issues on the Protocol. Whilst these discussions are ongoing, we have not made a full assessment of the impact of the Protocol. However, we remain committed to maintaining the availability of medicines and drugs in Northern Ireland and actively monitor the situation.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland on the availability of medicines and drugs in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Bethell
We are continuing to engage with the European Union on the movement of medicines into Northern Ireland, as part of conversations regarding outstanding issues on the Protocol. Whilst these discussions are ongoing, we have not made a full assessment of the impact of the Protocol. However, we remain committed to maintaining the availability of medicines and drugs in Northern Ireland and actively monitor the situation.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the supply of potassium chloride to Northern Ireland from Great Britain suppliers has been reduced since 1 January 2021.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Due to commercial sensitivities, the Department cannot comment on the status of the development and supply of any individual medicine. However, we are continuing to work closely with industry partners to help ensure the continuity of supply of medicines to Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to offer a guarantee that patients in Northern Ireland will retain access to all drugs and medicines currently available following the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The United Kingdom Government is continuing to engage with the European Commission on this matter to ensure that there is no impediment to securing access to vital medicines across the UK, including Northern Ireland.