To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to conduct a public consultation on proposals for generic substitution of medicines; and for how long the consultation period will last. [HL5258]

To ask Her Majesty's Government what process they intend to use when undertaking a public consultation on proposals for generic substitution of medicines. [HL5259]

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will work towards the introduction of proposed generic substitution of medicines, which is scheduled for January 2010; and what is the proposed timescale. [HL5260]

Generic substitution is a complex issue with many interested stakeholders. We want to make sure we engage with all stakeholders in the best way possible and we therefore intend to formally consult in the autumn on our proposals for the implementation of generic substitution. We expect the consultation period will last 12 weeks and the timetable for implementation will be influenced by the outcome of this consultation.