As part of the national covid-19 response, Defence has been active in all regions of the UK, providing support through the distribution of personal protective equipment and diagnostic equipment; planning, construction and staffing of Nightingale hospitals; conducting school and community testing; military support to NHS trusts; and supporting the vaccine programme. As of 27 January, there are approximately 14,500 personnel committed or at readiness, deployed in every region.

I certainly do. Defence personnel, from all three services, are employed in a range of roles to support frontline NHS services both providing direct clinical care and undertaking support roles to free up NHS staff. Their contribution has been of enormous benefit.

42 vaccine quick reaction force teams comprising 252 defence personnel are deployed across seven NHS England regions to locations determined by NHS priorities. Their primary effort is to ensure the vaccine roll-out is equally paced across the country, reinforcing local NHS trust efforts.

Military planners and their liaison officers help local authorities understand what the military could do, assisting MOD to get ahead of demand by lining up troops. The importance of these relationships at a local level is recognised as a key lesson for the Ministry of Defence.

The priority is to get on with the job at hand. However, there will be an eye on recognising their contribution when all this is done.

I will, of course, have a look at what that might mean if, in return, the hon. Gentleman will consider taxing the armed forces less than the Scottish Government currently do.