'No problems' with Covid-19 vaccine supply chain, Williamson tells LBC

24 February 2021, 09:13

No need for concern over lower daily vaccination numbers, Williamson tells LBC

By Joe Cook

There are “no problems” with the Covid vaccine supply chain, Gavin Williamson has told LBC, just one day after Matt Hancock said vaccine supply would mean a “quieter” week for jabs.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said it was no cause for concern that vaccine numbers have been below 200,000 per day for the last four days, down from around 400,000 daily jabs last week.

“There are no problems in terms of flow of vaccines,” he explained when pressed on the issue by LBC’s Nick Ferrari.

“I can understand that people will raise concerns, but there isn’t concerns that they should have,” Mr Williamson continued.

“The fact that we have this brilliant procurement exercise, in terms of being able to guarantee supply of vaccines, there will always be some days where it dips lower.

“You point out that it has been four days, but I have every confidence that it will be rebounding back very shortly.”

Read more: Pfizer denies supply issues after Hancock tells LBC it will be 'quieter' week for vaccines

Nick Ferrari asks Gavin Williamson if he wants a vaccine passport

The comments come just 24 hours after Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Nick Ferrari it was “all about the supply” of vaccines and this this week would be “quieter” in terms of inoculation numbers.

However, he reassured listeners that the numbers would bounce back in March with a number of "bumper weeks".

Asked if lower production numbers had impacted the UK's jab figures, Mr Hancock said: "It's about the supply schedules, yes, and this is difficult stuff to make."

Read more: Summer schools for secondary pupils as part of £700m catch-up plan in England

Matt Hancock tells LBC this week will be 'quieter' for vaccinations due to 'supply schedules'

But on Tuesday, Pfizer responded to Mr Hancock's comments by insisting to The Sun and the MailOnline that there were "no UK supply challenges" and deliveries were arriving as planned from Belgium.

The pharmaceutical giant added that there had been no changes to its delivery schedule and it was working to the timetable agreed with the UK Government.

Read more: Tiger Woods 'awake and responsive' after surgery on car crash leg injuries

Nick Ferrari pushes Education Sec on why teachers haven't had the jab

Mr Williamson echoed this, confirming repeatedly that there is “no problem with the supply chain”.

“We have got one of the most advanced vaccination systems anywhere in the world, of any major country,” he said.

“Matt and that whole team, and it has been a big national and collective effort, have been doing wonderful work and they are going to continue to deliver that wonderful work.

“We will be hitting incredibly high numbers. The prime minister has already made it clear that we are going to be reaching all the adult population in record speed.”

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

King Charles III And Queen Camilla

King and Queen set to meet Pope next month despite holy father's ill health

Breaking
This image taken from NASA video shows the SpaceX capsule carrying NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague.

NASA astronauts 'stranded' in space for months begin journey back to Earth in SpaceX Dragon capsule

Israel has launched the largest strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, killing and injuring dozens while promising 'increasing military force'.

Israel launches 'extensive' strikes on Gaza killing '300' as Hamas says attack marks 'unilateral end to ceasefire'

Israel has launched the largest strikes on Gaza since the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, killing and injuring dozens while promising 'increasing military force'.

Israel launches 'extensive' deadly strikes on Gaza, which Hamas says indicate 'unilateral end to ceasefire'

Badenoch is expected to drop the party’s commitment to net zero, which the UK is legally required to reach by 2050, in a speech on Tuesday.

UK net zero target by 2050 is ‘impossible’ without bankrupting Britain, says Kemi Badenoch

John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway, the last surviving pilot that served in the Battle of Britain, has passed away at the age of 105.

Last surviving Battle of Britain pilot John ‘Paddy’ Hemingway dies aged 105

A selection of credit cards in a fan.

Almost 20,000 Civil Service credit cards to be frozen in government plans to halve number of cards and cut spending

MPs have been urged to support moves to ban smacking and other forms of physical punishment against children in England.

Ministers urged to back law change which will see smacking children to punish them banned

Polling station at Deptford Park School.

Russian networks tried to disrupt UK election but did not cause ‘notable’ impact, security minister says

IKEA store in Vilnius, Lithuania

Russian spies accused of firebombing Ikea store ‘because colours are the same as the Ukraine flag’

Facial recognition will be used to help passengers skip passport queues at ports.

British travellers arriving back in UK could 'avoid passport queues' with new facial recognition technology

The White House said Trump is ‘determined’ to get a peace deal in Ukraine over the line, as the US president gears up for talks for Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

‘We’ve never been closer to a peace deal’ in Ukraine, says White House ahead of Trump-Putin talks

A prison officer walks down the C wing at Wandsworth prison.

Number of prisoners reaches six-month high, despite thousands being released early to ease overcrowding

Richard Burrows, 80, was found guilty of 54 offences at Chester Crown Court on Monday, including indecent assault of boys, buggery, attempted buggery and indecency with a child.

Paedophile scout leader who spent 27 years on the run found guilty of dozens child sex abuse crimes

‘Iran will suffer the consequences’ - Trump raises prospect of war with Iran as Us attacks on Houthis continue

‘Iran will suffer the consequences’ - Trump raises prospect of war with Iran as US attacks on Houthis continue

Owen Cooper (l) and Stephen Graham (r) star in Adolescence

Revealed: Secret behind incredible camera shot in Netflix's new 'masterpiece' Adolescence