Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) level, and (2) geographical distribution, of drug shortages in pharmacies.

The Department monitors and manages medicine supply issues at a national level, so that stocks remain available to meet regional and local demand. We receive notifications of supply issues from United Kingdom medicine license holders. In 2022 and 2023, the number of notifications of supply issues remained broadly stable, at approximately 1,600 per year.