Covid-19 Vaccinations: 12 to 15-year-olds Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Covid-19 Vaccinations: 12 to 15-year-olds

Greg Smith Excerpts
Monday 13th September 2021

(2 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi
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The Government have taken copious legal advice on this issue. I remind the House that on the rare occasions when there is a difference of opinion and a parent withholds consent when their child wants to be vaccinated, the clinician will bring together in consultation the child and the parents to try to reach consensus before they move on to the question of Gillick competence.

Greg Smith Portrait Greg Smith (Buckingham) (Con)
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Following the answer that my hon. Friend the Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr Baker) earlier, could he outline the concrete steps that the Government will be taking, particularly within educational settings but also in wider society, to guarantee that no unvaccinated child will be treated any differently from a vaccinated one?

Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi
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There will be no question of discriminating in any way between vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Vaccinations are voluntary and will remain so.