Oral Answers to Questions

Allan Dorans Excerpts

Wednesday 29th April 2020 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that excellent programme. He is absolutely right; a strong understanding of numeracy—for example, calculating percentages or doing divisions—underpins a young child’s ability to manage money. This Government’s reforms have made a step change in progress on numeracy and literacy for those young children, but that needs to be backed up by practical applications. Many organisations that support schools with financial education are adapting their programmes, and Young Money is an excellent example of that.

[Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (SNP) [V]]

Will the First Secretary of State make a commitment that when a vaccine for covid-19 becomes available, the United Kingdom will take a leading role, together with other nations, to ensure that it is distributed according to the needs of people across the world rather than on the basis of wealth?

[Dominic Raab]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. As the Health Secretary announced, we have had trials announced very recently and we are taking a lead on research and development. However, as my right hon. Friend the International Development Secretary announced earlier at questions, we are also contributing to Gavi and CEPI to ensure that we can ramp up the international effort to find a vaccine and vaccinate all the people not only here in the UK but in the most vulnerable and poorest countries around the world. I entirely agree with what the hon. Gentleman says.