Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee on advance payments to pharmacies during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Treasury received representations from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee concerning advance payments to pharmacies during the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2021.

The Government has put in place a comprehensive package of support for community pharmacy during the pandemic, including providing extra funding for Bank Holiday openings, advance cash payments, a new medicines delivery service for shielded patients and a contribution to social distancing for every pharmacy.

The Government has also put forward proposals for additional funding to meet extra costs incurred by pharmacies during the pandemic, and discussions between the Department of Health and Social Care and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) are ongoing.