Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assurances he has (a) sought and (b) received from the European Commission that the UK will be allowed to continue to participate in European Reference Networks in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

The Government remains focused on ensuring our smooth and orderly withdrawal from the European Union with a deal as soon as possible. The United Kingdom would like to explore participation in European Reference Networks beyond 2020 as part of detailed negotiations on our future relationship. However, in the event of no-deal, current EU legislation states that only EU and European Economic Area Member States are permitted to participate in the European Reference Networks. The UK is considering potential alternatives to participation in the European Reference Networks as part of no deal preparations.