Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with (a) NHS England, (b) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, (c) patient groups and (d) professional groups about prescribing drugs for licensed and off-label indications.

In developing our response to the Off-patent Drugs Bill, we have taken advice from clinicians and officials at NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and taken account of views expressed by other stakeholder organisations. Officials have also had discussions with Breast Cancer Campaign to understand their concerns around the prescribing of off-patent drugs and the implications for patients.