Alex Mayer (S&D). – MrPresident, the GBP 500 million bill because the European Medicines Agency (EMA) could not get out of the 25—year lease on a building in Canary Wharf is deeply regrettable. What a waste. And, to my mind, what a waste to lose highly skilled jobs and research capacity from Britain. The EMA is a jewel in the crown, precisely because it attracts businesses and experts. Over the past two decades, it has been invaluable, simplifying and streamlining medicines regulation, allowing companies to get a medicine authorised in every EU country in one go. Alas for Britain, no more.
A medicines manufacturer in my constituency has already set up a new parallel testing facility within the EU to enable it to sell into European Union countries in the future. More cost, meaning less investment in research and development, and for Britain more delays in getting medicines and a rising bill for medicines, and so less money for our NHS – the opposite of what people thought that they were voting for.