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Written question asked by Alexander Stafford (Conservative) on Friday, 29 January 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 February 2021. It was answered by Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative) on Monday, 8 February 2021 on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his Department has to help increase the UK’s covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity to meet future needs for that vaccine.

Answer

The Government has invested over £300 million to secure and scaleup the UK’s manufacturing capabilities to be able to respond to the pandemic, including:

a) Facilities that have come online:

  • £4.7 million for skills training through the Advanced Therapies Skills Training Network, which will be delivered through both virtual and physical centres;
  • £8.75 million for the set-up of the rapid deployment facility at Oxford Biomedica in Oxfordshire;
  • £65.5 million for the early manufacture of the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine; and
  • Funding for fill and finish capability through a contract with Wockhardt in Wrexham, North Wales, which is currently providing fill and finish capabilities to the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine.

b) Facilities that will come online later this year, to help provide longer term UK capacity:

  • £93 million to accelerate the completion and expanded role of the Vaccines Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Oxfordshire; and
  • £127 million for the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult in Braintree, Essex.

In addition to the above, we have also funded the expansion of the Valneva factory in Livingston, Scotland.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
145892
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Manufacturing industries Production Vaccination Coronavirus
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk