Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to reduce covid-19 vaccine hesitancy.

The United Kingdom COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Plan aims to improve uptake across all communities. The plan sets out the Government’s approach to making sure everyone has the opportunity to get vaccinated and have the information they need to make an informed decision.

The National Health Service (NHS) is working in partnership with the voluntary and community sector, local authorities, staff and patients to ensure that views are built into the programme and used to inform and improve communications and delivery.

The Department, the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency are providing advice and information at every possible opportunity to support those getting the vaccine and to anyone who might have questions about the vaccination process.  Our communications include information and advice via TV, radio and social media.

Vaccine confidence has increased across the population, especially in particularly hesitant groups such as ethnic minorities. Office of National Statistics have produced vaccine hesitancy data which can be found at the following link:

Coronavirus and vaccine hesitancy, Great Britain - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk).

The latest data is to July 2021 and shows vaccine hesitancy in Great Britain amongst Ethnic Minority Groups to be 9% - having reduced from 22% in February 2021.