28.—(1) This regulation applies where the Secretary of State considers that there is a supply shortage of a presentation of health service medicine (the “relevant presentation”).
(2) Where this regulation applies, the Secretary of State may by notice in writing require any of the following to provide the information mentioned in paragraph (3) about the relevant presentation—
(a)a manufacturer of the presentation,
(b)a person who distributes the presentation (whether by wholesale dealing or otherwise), or
(c)an importer of the presentation.
(3) The information is—
(a)the quantity (if any) of packs of the relevant presentation that is available for supply by the producer, and
(b)the quantity (if any) of any alternative presentation specified in the request that is available for supply by the producer.
(4) A producer who is given a notice under paragraph (2) must comply with the request within the period of two working days beginning—
(a)with the day on which producer is given the request, if that day is a working day;
(b)otherwise, with the first working day after the day on which the notice is given to the producer.
(5) In this regulation, “alternative presentation”, in relation to a relevant presentation, means a presentation of health service medicine which is used as a therapeutic alternative to the relevant presentation.