COVID-19 Vaccines in South Wales East

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 3:33 pm on 9 February 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 3:33, 9 February 2021

Well, Llywydd, I have to make it clear to the Senedd once again that this Welsh Government follows the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The care homes that are included in the top four priority groups are the care homes identified by that committee. Where people with learning difficulties are captured by those top four priority groups, of course they will have been vaccinated. Where they are not, then they will appear in the next set of priority groups.

Now, it is no use Members here thinking that they know better than the JCVI. I have already heard from Mark Isherwood wanting me to overturn the JCVI advice and to put police officers further up the list. I've had questions on the floor of the Senedd by other Members wanting me to put teachers at the top of the list. Now, the Member wants me to overturn the JCVI advice for another group in the population. Every one of those groups has a case to make, and often a case that is compelling on its own terms, but the Welsh Government cannot overturn the advice that all four Governments of the United Kingdom are following.

Now, I noticed what the First Minister of Scotland, from the Member's sister party, said when she was being asked on the floor of the Scottish Parliament to do what she is asking me to do—to overturn the JCVI prioritisation list and to put people further up it than would be the case of the JCVI. And she said, on the floor of the Scottish Parliament, 'Our duty is to vaccinate in line with the JCVI recommendations.' I agree with the First Minister of Scotland there. That is what we are doing in Wales. That is what is happening in the area of Wales that the Member represents. And I cannot and will not do what I think would be an irresponsible thing and depart from the advice that we have received.