Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Gray Excerpts

Tuesday 19th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Philip Dunne)]

I can confirm that the health and wellbeing overview and scrutiny committee has submitted a request for a review by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel. I understand that officials have reverted to the committee to clarify the terms of the referral. Once that has come through to the Department, I am sure that the review will take place.

[Neil Gray (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

T4. Last week the Brexit Secretary stated that UK membership of EU agencies is unlikely to continue beyond March 2019, so what provision has the Secretary of State for Health made to replace the European Chemicals Agency, which regulates the raw chemicals required by the pharmaceutical industry to produce drugs in the UK?

[Mr Hunt]

That area will obviously be very important in the negotiations, but we have made our preference clear: a deep and special partnership with the EU in which the benefits of co-operation that we currently have can continue.