Oral Answers to Questions

Rob Roberts Excerpts

Wednesday 27th January 2021 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Rob Roberts (Delyn) (Con)]

What assessment his Department has made of progress on the roll-out of the covid-19 vaccine in Scotland.

[Antony Higginbotham (Burnley) (Con)]

What assessment his Department has made of progress on the roll-out of the covid-19 vaccine in Scotland.

[The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr Alister Jack)]

The Government are procuring vaccines on behalf of all parts of the United Kingdom and supplying them to the devolved Administrations. It is for the Scottish Government to manage the roll-out of the vaccines in Scotland. However, our British armed forces are supporting the NHS in Scotland in this vital task.

[Rob Roberts [V]]

The vaccine roll-out has been excellent, with the United Kingdom again having among the strongest responses in the world. As there are varying degrees of success in the four different parts of the Union, will my right hon. Friend confirm what discussions he has had with the vaccines Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi)—in order to guarantee that the four constituent parts of the UK will receive sufficient vaccinations to hit their targets of the first four groups by the middle of February?

[Mr Jack]

The devolved Administrations are receiving their shares of vaccine based on population, and the schedule of deliveries will fully support vaccinations of the first four priority cohorts by 15 February. All parts of the United Kingdom therefore have an equal chance of meeting that mid-February target.