Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department takes to ensure that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation reviews new vaccines and immunisations (a) shortly after marketing authorisation and (b) in a timely manner.

The Department works with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to ensure that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is resourced to undertake reviews of newly authorised vaccines in a timely manner following market authorisation.

The timetable for such consideration is dependent on a number of factors including the current burden of disease to the population, whether an effective vaccine is already in use, the amount of evidence available and whether further evidence is required to reach a clear decision.