Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 21 December to Question 86035 on Coronavirus: Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme; for what reason the number of staff in his Department engaged in assessing applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme on the covid-19 vaccine was not provided; and how many staff were engaged in assessing those applications on (a) 2 December 2021 and (b) 10 January 2022.

There are no Departmental staff assessing applications to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). Following the transfer of the VDPS administrative function to the NHS Business Services Authority in November 2021, there are currently 26 members of staff processing claims, increased from 15 members of staff in December 2021. Once sufficient evidence is gathered on a VDPS claim they are medically assessed by an independent, experienced medical adviser.