Oral Answers to Questions

John Lamont Excerpts

Tuesday 20th July 2021 Commons Chamber

[Jacob Young (Redcar) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps the Government are taking to support the distribution of covid-19 vaccines throughout the world.

[John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps the Government are taking to support the distribution of covid-19 vaccines throughout the world.

[Simon Baynes (Clwyd South) (Con)]

What diplomatic steps the Government are taking to support the distribution of covid-19 vaccines throughout the world.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. He will recall that, last year, as that terrible disaster took place, we committed $2 million in extra support for medical equipment. In relation to vaccines, in March, Lebanon received its first doses from COVAX: 33,600 AZ vaccines. The UK, through our £90 million commitment, got the AstraZeneca vaccine at cost price to the world, and the vast majority of COVAX doses—some 98%—that will have reached Lebanon have been the AZ vaccine. That demonstrates the value that the UK is providing not just with the domestic roll-out but abroad as well.

[John Lamont]

The UK has amassed one of the largest vaccine portfolios in the world. This has been hugely successful and has allowed all of us to get a jab. In which parts of the world does the Foreign Secretary envisage using our surplus to best effect?

[Dominic Raab]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. At the G7, by making it clear that we would donate 100 million doses from surplus domestic supply by the end of June 2022, we also leveraged 1 billion doses from other countries. We are committing 80% to COVAX, which will be distributed according to its criteria, and a further 20% on a strategic basis. Allocations will be announced in due course.