We now move on to item 6, which is the legislative consent motion on the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill, and I call on the Cabinet Secretary of Health, Well-being and Sport to move the motion—Vaughan Gething.

Motion NDM6201 Vaughan Gething

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 29.6 agrees that provisions in the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill relating to obtaining and sharing information on health service products in so far as they fall within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

Motion moved.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion.

I’d like to start by thanking the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee for their scrutiny of the LCM, and I note that they raise no particular objections. The UK Government introduced the Health Service Medical Supplies (Costs) Bill into Parliament on 15 September last year. The aims of the Bill are the clarify the UK Government’s existing powers that the Secretary of State can introduce a payment mechanism in the statutory scheme for medicines pricing in the UK, and to strengthen existing powers to tackle excessively priced unbranded generic medicines, and to provide a stronger power to collect information on the cost of medicines and medical supplies throughout the supply chain.

Amongst other things within the Bill, clause 6 enable the Secretary of State in the UK Government to provide pricing information obtained for reserve purposes to Welsh Ministers for use for devolved purposes. Clause 7 enables Welsh Ministers to make regulations to require providers of NHS pharmaceutical services and primary medical services in Wales to provide information to Welsh Ministers regarding prices paid, discounts, rebates given and revenue or profits accrued in the course of supplying medicines and medical appliances. This sort of information will be used by Welsh Ministers to assist in the determination of remuneration and payments to NHS pharmacists and providers of primary medical services in Wales. It will also be used to consider whether there is an adequate supply of medicines and other health service products available to the health service here in Wales, at a price that represents value for money.

Currently, Welsh Ministers do not have powers to require providers of NHS pharmaceutical services or primary medical services to provide information relating to the supply of health service products. Making these provisions for Wales in the Bill will ensure the UK as a whole can take a consistent approach to gathering information from across the entire supply chain, and I therefore ask Assembly Members to support the legislative consent motion.

Thank you very much. Again, we have no speakers for the debate. Therefore, the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.