Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for rolling out the Triumph and Ambush candidate vaccines; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has asked the National Health Service to be ready to deploy any safe, effective vaccines when available. We are working at pace for the delivery of any potential COVID-19 vaccination programme as quickly as possible. The scale of what is rolled out and when will depend on a safe, effective vaccine being available.

Planning considerations include the size and make-up of the workforce needed to deliver a potentially extensive vaccination programme at pace, training requirements, guidance, consumables and other equipment, as well as the supporting infrastructure required, including warehousing, transport, logistics and end-destination ‘clinic’ storage.

The UK Government has committed to procuring a COVID-19 vaccination on behalf of the United Kingdom. As health is a devolved matter, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for deployment of vaccination in their countries. The Government is working closely with the devolved administrations to ensure successful delivery across the whole of the United Kingdom.