Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of sanctions on companies involved in settlements in the West Bank on the medicines supply chain.

The measures announced by the Foreign Secretary on 8 September will include restrictions on the import into the UK of goods originating in illegal settlements. These measures will be carefully designed to target trade with illegal settlements, while protecting legitimate trade between the UK and ‘Green Line’ Israel, including medicines and medical products. The current assessment is that the potential impact on the medicines supply chain will be low, but we will continue to monitor this following the announcement of the measures, in line with the standard process when introducing new Statutory Instruments.

Detailed guidance will be published alongside the implementing legislation to clarify the implications for UK businesses, and we will work closely with industry partners to maintain the medical supply trade and ensure continuity of supply to UK patients.