Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham on 27 June (HL8432), whether their current policy is to allow the private sale of COVID-19 vaccines through (1) pharmacies, or (2) other healthcare providers.

As mentioned in my letter on 1 June, the private provision of COVID-19 vaccination is not a decision for the Government.

Vaccines that have been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for use in the United Kingdom can be prescribed by a physician, either in the National Health Service or privately. However, as yet, the pharmaceutical companies producing COVID-19 vaccines have not made these treatments commercially available to the private health care sector in the UK either through pharmacies or other healthcare providers.