Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the covid-19 booster vaccine rollout among people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

The most recent data shows that in England as of 31 December 2021, over 88% of those on the Learning Disability Register had received their first COVID-19 vaccine, over 84% had received their second dose and over 37% had received their third or booster dose.

NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Learning Disability and Autism Programme has been working with regional teams to provide additional support and advice to increase uptake. We have produced a range of resources in a variety of formats to provide reliable information about the vaccine. This includes easy read and accessible versions of booking letters, question and answers, films and information leaflets. We have also created training for vaccinators, volunteers and voluntary sector partners with a particular focus on adapting communication and making reasonable adjustments for people with a learning disability or autism. Best practice guidance and examples of innovation have also been shared with regional teams and local systems.