Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979

24 March 2023 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Christopher Chope Con Christchurch

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Christopher Chope raised concerns about vaccine damage payments act 1979 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • MP Christopher Chope raised concerns about the inadequacy of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 in addressing adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.
  • The Minister acknowledged the concerns and agreed to meet with an all-party parliamentary group to discuss vaccine damage support.
  • Since 2021, the NHS Business Services Authority has improved the process for the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Christopher Chope Con Christchurch

MP Christopher Chope raised concerns about the inadequacy of the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 in addressing adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. He highlighted that over 4,000 claims have been made under this act and many remain outstanding. The MP emphasised the need for the government to recognise vaccine damage and provide additional support for victims. Chope also cited cases like Jamie Scott who experienced severe disabilities following vaccination and called on the government to admit instances where vaccines caused reactions.

Other contributors (1)
  • Unnamed MP

    The unnamed MP asked a series of questions about the court's decision, the alignment of disablement thresholds between different support schemes, the Government’s response to coroners' reports, and plans for specialist clinics and reducing backlogs.

Government Response

Maria Caulfield

The Minister acknowledged the concerns raised by MP Christopher Chope. She stated that the Government is keen to support individuals affected by vaccine damage; hence, she agreed to meet with an all-party parliamentary group and Members from across the House who have concerns on this issue. The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme provides a one-off tax-free payment for severe disablement caused by vaccines. Since 2021, NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) has improved the process by putting in place digital modernisation processes to speed up application processing and introduced quality standards to ensure eligible claims are determined first-time around. The Minister emphasised that the Government is investing £110 million into vaccine safety research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, including a specific allocation of £1.6 million at the University of Liverpool to understand rare conditions linked with vaccination. She committed to looking further into symptoms experienced by those who feel they have been affected by vaccines during her meeting with the all-party parliamentary group.

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