Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

As set out by the Prime Minister in his Written Ministerial Statement of 16 April responding to the publication of Module 4 of the COVID-19 Inquiry, the Government is carefully considering the findings of the inquiry, including the recommendations on reform of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), and will respond within six months of publication.

The Government is actively considering the recommendations of the inquiry on reform of the VDPS.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The estimated total averted hospitalisations, severe hospitalisations, and deaths for the spring and autumn 2023 boosters were:

- 1,654 hospitalisations, 108 severe, and 508 deaths for the spring 2023 booster program in those aged 75 years old and over; and

- 7,054 hospitalisations, 473 severe, and 1,862 deaths for the autumn 2023 booster program in those aged 65 years old and over.

This can be found in the COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report week 29, which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669923b20808eaf43b50d1fd/Vaccine_surveillance_report_2024_week_29.pdf

In total, an estimated 14,400 hospitalisations were averted in adults aged 50 years old and older in England as a result of the vaccination from the autumn 2022 COVID-19 vaccine booster programme. This information is in the COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report week 41, which is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6527f0bfaea2d0000d219c69/vaccine-surveillance-report-2023-week-41.pdf

These are a direct effect calculation and do not include any additional cases prevented from herd immunity. They also do not include cases averted where COVID-19 exacerbated a non-respiratory condition that led to hospitalisation.

In total, an estimated 18,600 hospitalisations, based on cases reported through the Sari-Watch surveillance scheme, were averted in adults aged 50 years old and older in England as a result of vaccination from the autumn 2021 COVID-19 vaccine booster programme. Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62c6c2168fa8f54e855dfe29/Vaccine-surveillance-report-week-27.pdf

This was also a direct effect calculation method.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The evidential basis refers to page four of the COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report: Week 38, published by Public Health England on 23 September 2021. The report is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614c53a28fa8f56113bf6472/Vaccine_surveillance_report_-_week_38.pdf

The report assessed the impact of the vaccination programme on the population by taking into account vaccine coverage, evidence on vaccine effectiveness, and the latest COVID-19 disease surveillance indicators. These figures were, at the time of the report, the latest estimates on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination programme on mortality.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The evidential basis refers to page four of the COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report: Week 38, published by Public Health England on 23 September 2021. The report is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614c53a28fa8f56113bf6472/Vaccine_surveillance_report_-_week_38.pdf

The report assessed the impact of the vaccination programme on the population by taking into account vaccine coverage, evidence on vaccine effectiveness, and the latest COVID-19 disease surveillance indicators. These figures were, at the time of the report, the latest estimates on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination programme on mortality.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

In the Prime Minister’s written ministerial statement to Parliament, he said that ensuring that the United Kingdom is prepared for a future pandemic is a “top priority” for his government and that the Government is determined to learn the lessons from this Inquiry.

Further to this, on the 19 July, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster made an oral statement in the House of Commons in response to the Module 1 report where he said “this government’s first responsibility is to keep the public safe. We cannot rebuild our national resilience overnight. But we will learn the lessons from this Inquiry – from this Module and every Module that follows”.

The issue of Covid-19 vaccines will be discussed in Module 4 of the Covid-19 Inquiry, where the hearings are planned to start from 14 January 2025 to 30 January 2025.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

All routine policy, including the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), is reviewed on a regular basis. My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is currently looking into aspects of the scheme, following recent meetings with interested stakeholders.

Separately, work is underway with the scheme’s administrator, the NHS Business Service Authority, to review processes and make administrative changes, to improve the scheme within the current legislative framework. Formal consideration of whether any reforms to the VDPS are necessary will form part of Module 4 of the COVID-19 Inquiry, chaired by the Rt Hon Baroness Heather Carol Hallett DBE.