Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the reasons for the reported delays in this year's flu vaccination programme.

Due to the nature of the production of the flu vaccine, short delays in production, manufacturing and delivery are common and as a result, contingency is built into supply timetables. One manufacturer, Seqirus, reported a delay of one to two weeks as a result of logistical issues. The Department is working closely with Seqirus and other vaccine manufacturers to assess the impact of any delays on the delivery of flu vaccinations.