Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the British Healthcare Trades Association's survey entitled The impact of the current economic landscape on UK health and social care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding that 41 per cent of medical device manufacturers are considering reducing the amount of stock they produce and distribute as a result of financial and regulatory pressures.

No specific assessment has been made. The Department, NHS England and NHS Supply Chain work closely with suppliers to ensure supply chain resilience and the continued availability of affordable clinical consumables and devices.

Recent amendments to the EU Medical Device Regulation, in respect of the timescales for transitional arrangements, combined with the United Kingdom Government’s commitment to extend the standstill period and to introduce transitional arrangements for compliance with the new UK Medical Devices Regulations, substantially reduce regulatory pressures on suppliers.