Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Quality during Oral Questions on 17 November 2015 on the establishment of a working party to examine issues regarding the availability of off-patent, repurposed drugs, when the working party was established; what the working party's scope and terms of reference are; which organisations and individuals have been invited to join the working party; and when the next meeting of the working party will be convened.

The Government has not established a working party in relation to the Off-Patent Drugs Bill. We did hold a roundtable event in February 2015 with key stakeholders including charities and agreed several follow up actions. We have now agreed additional further actions:

- arrange a further roundtable event specifically for those charities who would like to explore the Bill in more detail;

- input in to the work of the Off-Patent Drugs Bill All Party Parliamentary Group; and

- hold a Ministerial drop-in session on 30 November, for those who would like to discuss the Bill further. This will be hosted by myself.