Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will review the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for NHS-funded COVID-19 vaccinations for carers.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.
For autumn 2024, the JCVI advised that in an era of high population immunity to COVID-19 and all cases due to Omicron sub-lineages of the virus, any protection against transmission of infection from one person to another is expected to be extremely limited. These considerations informed the JCVI’s advice that unpaid carers, household contacts of the immunosuppressed, and frontline health and social care workers should no longer be offered vaccination to protect those they cared for from transmission.
In their advice covering 2025 and spring 2026, the JCVI advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has increased due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI-advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to reform planning rules and permitted development rights to facilitate a wider range of housing for elderly people, including modern, low‑maintenance retirement communities and purpose‑built nursing homes; and what steps he is taking to protect local care standards.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including new policies designed to support the delivery of housing that meets the needs of different groups such as older people. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for assessing registered providers, including providers that deliver and manage residential and nursing homes. The CQC monitors, inspects and regulates services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety. They can take appropriate action, including through their enforcement powers, when these standards are not met.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will extend the eligibility for free Covid vaccines to people with Respiratory Syncytial Virus in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 and RSV vaccination programmes is the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths.
Although RSV and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen.
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity, following recovery from infection, and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
- adults aged 75 years old and over;
- residents in care homes for older adults;
- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
In line with JCVI advice, RSV vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults at greatest risk of harm from RSV infection.
As for all vaccination programmes, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to conduct a review of JCVI eligibility criteria and to reinstate free Covid‑19 vaccinations for all clinically vulnerable people, in line with the existing approach to NHS flu vaccinations.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
- adults aged 75 years old and over;
- residents in care homes for older adults; and
- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the UK Health Security Agency Green Book.
Although seasonal flu and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen and the JCVI has considered each programme individually.
The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the potential benefits of increasing eligibility for free Covid vaccines to people with Respiratory Syncytial Virus in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 and RSV vaccination programmes is the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths.
Although RSV and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen.
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity, following recovery from infection, and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
- adults aged 75 years old and over;
- residents in care homes for older adults;
- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
In line with JCVI advice, RSV vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults at greatest risk of harm from RSV infection.
As for all vaccination programmes, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made of the potential benefits of increasing eligibility for free Covid vaccines to people with Respiratory Syncytial Virus.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 and RSV vaccination programmes is the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths.
Although RSV and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen.
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity, following recovery from infection, and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
- adults aged 75 years old and over;
- residents in care homes for older adults;
- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
In line with JCVI advice, RSV vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults at greatest risk of harm from RSV infection.
As for all vaccination programmes, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will extend the eligibility for free Covid vaccines to people with Respiratory Syncytial Virus.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 and the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 and RSV vaccination programmes is the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths.
Although RSV and COVID-19 can both cause severe disease, they differ in their epidemiology and pathology. As such, the population groups at higher risk of severe disease will not necessarily be the same for each pathogen.
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity, following recovery from infection, and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
- adults aged 75 years old and over;
- residents in care homes for older adults;
- individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
In line with JCVI advice, RSV vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults at greatest risk of harm from RSV infection.
As for all vaccination programmes, the JCVI keeps the evidence under regular review.
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Autumn 2025 Covid-19 vaccination eligibility criteria on people with asthma; what consideration was given to including asthma as a qualifying condition for free Covid vaccination; and what assessment he has made of the affordability and pricing of privately purchased Covid vaccines for those no longer eligible for free vaccination.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19 through vaccination, as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has increased due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has therefore moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
As with other United Kingdom vaccination programmes, the JCVI’s advice on eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination carefully considers the evidence on the risk of illness, serious disease, or death as a consequence of infection, in specific groups, as well as cost-effectiveness analysis. Further detail can be found at the following link:
The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.
As with other vaccines provided privately, the availability and price of COVID-19 vaccines provided through the private market is a matter for the companies concerned. All those eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination this autumn through the National Health Service, in line with advice by the independent expert JCVI, are encouraged to take up this offer. The national programme launched on 1 October 2025 and runs until 31 January 2026.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of restricting eligibility for free covid-19 vaccinations on (a) infection rates, (b) hospital admissions and (c) mortality during winter 2025–26 on adults aged between 65 and 74 years old.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.
The JCVI is an independent expert committee which reviews the latest data on COVID-19 risks, vaccine safety, and effectiveness and advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI’s advice on COVID-19 vaccination for autumn 2025 is based on published analysis which considers the health impacts of vaccination against COVID-19 in various groups. This is available at the following link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X25002452
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor COVID-19 through a variety of indicators and surveillance systems. Data are analysed and published by the UKHSA in weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report. For the autumn 2025 campaign, this is available at the following link:
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of restricting eligibility for free covid-19 vaccinations on (a) infection rates, (b) hospital admissions and (c) levels of mortality during winter 2025–26.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of serious illness, resulting in hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19.
The JCVI is an independent expert committee which reviews the latest data on COVID-19 risks, vaccine safety, and effectiveness and advises the Government on eligibility for vaccination and immunisation programmes. The JCVI’s advice on COVID-19 vaccination for autumn 2025 is based on published analysis which considers the health impacts of vaccination against COVID-19 in various groups. This is available at the following link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X25002452
The JCVI has advised that population immunity to COVID-19 has been increasing due to a combination of naturally acquired immunity following recovery from infection and vaccine-derived immunity. COVID-19 is now a relatively mild disease for most people, though it can still be unpleasant, with rates of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19 having reduced significantly since COVID-19 first emerged.
The focus of the JCVI advised programme has moved towards targeted vaccination of the two groups who continue to be at higher risk of serious disease, including mortality. These are the oldest adults and individuals who are immunosuppressed.
The Government has accepted the JCVI advice for autumn 2025 and in line with the advice, a COVID-19 vaccination is being offered to the following groups:
The JCVI keeps all vaccination programmes under review.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to monitor COVID-19 through a variety of indicators and surveillance systems. Data are analysed and published by the UKHSA in weekly official statistics in the National Influenza and COVID-19 Surveillance Report. For the autumn 2025 campaign, this is available at the following link: