§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for public consultation on the operation of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. [97950]
§ Mr. LammyThe Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which is being created on 1 April this year, will have new governance arrangements, designed to ensure that the Agency is responsive to the views of its customers, beneficiaries and stakeholders. The Agency will be led by a Chairman and a Board of directors, including a majority of non-executive directors, which will be responsible for developing the 525W policies of the Agency within the framework set by Ministers. The Agency's Chairman, Professor Alasdair Breckenridge, will be responsible for increasing its public profile and, in particular, for ensuring that the public is well-informed about issues concerning the safety of medicines and medical equipment. The Agency will also publish an annual report on its operations.