Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are employed in processing and deciding applications made by people vaccinated against covid-19 for compensation under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979; and how many of those applications are being decided on each week.

The Department for Work and Pensions currently has four members of staff who are responsible for the administration of the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS). This team supports the administration of Child, Adult and COVID 19 Vaccine Damage applications.

Regarding the number of applications that are decided each week. All customers who submit a Vaccine Damage Claim are having their claim acknowledged by the Department. Work is ongoing to understand potential causal links between Covid-19 vaccination and levels of disability.