Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which body is responsible for ensuring that community pharmacy delivery rules for Covid-19 vaccination are aligned with the clinical guidance set out in the Green Book.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (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.

Vaccination eligibility criteria are agreed by the Government in line with advice from the JCVI. Which groups are eligible for vaccination is communicated to commissioners and providers, including community pharmacies, by NHS England through operational guidance. The guidance issued for the recent autumn 2025 campaign is available at the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/flu-and-covid-19-seasonal-vaccination-programme-autumn-winter-2025-26/

This guidance reflects the eligibility and clinical guidance set out in the COVID-19 Chapter of the UK Health Security Green Book on vaccination and immunisation, which is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14a