Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to relax laws and restrictions imposed by the EU on homeopathic medicines, herbs, vitamins and mineral supplements after the UK exits the EU.

The Veterinary Medicines Regulations are in place to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of veterinary medicines.

No distinction is made between homeopathic medicines, herbs, vitamins and mineral supplements if they are marketed as having a beneficial effect on health, make medicinal claims or if they contain certain ingredients that exert a pharmacological effect on the target animal. They require a marketing authorisation to be sold in the UK.

Defra has no immediate plans to review the regulation of homeopathic medicines, herbs, vitamins and mineral supplements once we have left the EU. The Government’s intention is to repatriate the laws and restrictions into British law via a proposed repeal Bill. Following our exit, this bill will afford us all the time we need to review each piece of inherited legislation and decide which parts to preserve in new UK law and which parts to discard.