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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is her policy to provide full access to veterinary medicines for Northern Ireland via the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme from 1 January 2026.

The Veterinary Medicine Internal Market Scheme allows for products from Great Britain (GB), that are not vaccines, to be moved without the need for a Special Import Certificate, respecting Northern Ireland’s integral part in the UK’s internal market. The scheme will provide vets, who have a clinical need under the cascade, access to GB medicines without additional administrative burden.

Additionally, under the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme, vets do not need to wait for a medicine shortage to arise before they can source a product. Both vets and wholesalers may hold stock of medicines including products from GB, other than vaccines, that may need to be used in the future.

The Government’s current assessment does not expect any significant disruption to the supply of veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland; therefore, most medicines will continue to be supplied as they are now.