UK Government admits stockpiling needed to prepare for ‘no deal’ Brexit

UK Government ministers have admitted plans to stockpile medicines and ensure an “adequate food supply” in the event of Britain leaving the EU without a deal.

The prospect of Britain failing to agree a deal by March next year has seemed more likely after Conservative MPs clashed over Prime Minister Theresa May’s compromise plans.

Yesterday she placed herself in charge of the negotiations, demoting Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab to her deputy.

The UK currently uses EU trade deals, so leaving the EU without a deal would result in the UK resorting to expensive World Trade Organization tariffs for all imports from countries in the EU or with trade deals with the EU until it could negotiate with each country individually.

Speaking to MPs, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that despite being “confident” the UK will secure a deal, he had accelerated preparations to stockpile medicines and blood products.

Elsewhere, Raab said the Government would also take steps to ensure an “adequate food supply”.

Hancock told the health select committee: “We are working with industry to prepare for the potential need for stockpiling in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit,” adding there was “obviously going to be a cost implication of doing this”.

“This is exactly the type of contingency planning you would expect us to be doing,” he said.

Meanwhile Raab told the Brexit committee: ““We will look at this issue in the round and make sure that there’s adequate food supplies.”

Scotland’s Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “It’s now crystal clear that if the U.K. Government presses on with leaving the single market they do so knowing it will potentially harm patient care.

“Sadly the scant comments today from the U.K. health minister Matt Hancock will give very little reassurance to all those people that depend on medicines and vital plasma product supplies sourced from the EU.”