Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason medical examinations are not carried out for claims under the vaccine damage payments scheme; and if he will change his Department's policy so that it is aligned with that which applies to claims for industrial injuries.

All claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) are assessed on a case-by-case basis by experienced independent medical assessors who have undertaken specialised training in vaccine damage and disability assessment. Once medical records are received, assessors consider these and all available scientific evidence to make a clinical assessment on whether it is more probable than not that the vaccine has caused disablement.

The introduction of a face-to-face medical assessment as required for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit would delay claims and would require legislative change and re-negotiations of clinical contracts and would therefore significantly delay claims being processed. The Government’s current focus is increasing the operations of the VDPS and ensuring timely outcomes are provided to claimants.