Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with stakeholders on the potential side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Government takes the safety of all vaccinations and medicinal products used in the United Kingdom extremely seriously. No medicine or vaccine is completely risk-free, but the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continually monitors the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines through its comprehensive COVID-19 vaccine surveillance strategy, to ensure that the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh the risks. Following widespread use of these vaccines across the UK, the vast majority of suspected adverse reaction reports relate to injection-site reactions and generalised symptoms such as a headache or fatigue.

The Government knows, however, that there are some extremely rare circumstances where individuals have sadly experienced significant harm following COVID-19 vaccination. My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and I have recently met with the families of some of those who have suffered serious adverse effects following COVID-19 vaccination, to listen to their concerns and to discuss the support available.