Theresa May has refused to guarantee that the NHS will have enough medicines in the event of a "no-deal" Brexit.

The prime minister insisted she was working for a "good" divorce with the EU and that the government was making "responsible contingency decisions".

But she refused to be drawn on reports that warehouses are being sought to stockpile six weeks of medicines in if talks with Brussels fail.

Image: Theresa May said 'responsible contingency plans' were being made

Ian Blackford, the SNP's Westminster leader, said the government had begun the tender process "quietly" and at a cost of "tens of millions of pounds".

He said the money would be better spend on "frontline health services".


Mr Blackford made the intervention at Prime Minister's Questions, accusing Mrs May of being in "blind panic" and telling her to "wake up to the real harm her Brexit policies could cause to patients".

The prime minister said if he had been "paying attention" Mr Blackford would have noticed the increase in funds committed to prepare for no deal.

She insisted: "Departments like the Department of Health and Social Care are ensuring that they're making the responsible contingency decisions that any government department would make.

"What we're doing is working for a good deal in Brexit.

"And we're working for a good deal that will benefit the whole of the UK, including Scotland."

Image: The EU says the last chance for a deal is December

Last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed the stockpiling plan had been put out to tender.

"We are confident that [storages] can be delivered by March next year," he said.

Papers for industry on how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit are being released by the government.

Current ones give details on batch testing medicines and how clinical trials would be regulated, as well as regulating veterinary medicines.

Brussels says an agreement must be reached by the beginning of December, or else the UK will leave the EU with no deal.

Negotiations are due to begin in earnest after the budget vote on Thursday.