Draft Medical Devices (Fees Amendment) Regulations 2026

Parliament voted on 28 January 2026 to approve the Draft Medical Devices (Fees Amendment) Regulations 2026, passing the measure by 294 votes to 108. The regulations change the fees that pharmaceutical and medical device companies pay to the regulator when seeking approval or licensing for medical devices in the UK. As a deferred division -- a procedural arrangement where MPs vote at a scheduled later time rather than immediately after debate -- the result was announced by the Deputy Speaker.

The fee changes affect the costs businesses face when bringing medical devices to market in the UK. Higher or restructured regulatory fees can influence how quickly new devices reach patients, how attractive the UK market is for manufacturers, and how well-resourced the regulator is to assess safety and efficacy. The vote advances the government's proposed framework for funding medical device regulation, with supporters arguing it ensures the regulator has adequate resources and opponents suggesting the new fee structure places excessive or poorly designed burdens on industry.

The vote divided largely along party lines. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs provided almost all of the 294 ayes, while the Conservatives supplied 91 of the 108 noes, joined by all six Reform UK MPs present, all five Democratic Unionist Party members, and representatives from the Traditional Unionist Voice and Ulster Unionist Party. Three Labour or Labour and Co-operative MPs voted against their own government's position, representing a small but notable dissent. The vote sits within a broader period of parliamentary activity on health regulation, following closely on divisions the previous day concerning the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Bill.