World’s poorest countries could be charged for UK’s ‘surplus’ vaccines, minister admits

The world’s poorest countries could be charged for the “surplus” vaccines the UK passes on, a government minister has admitted.

Lord Ahmad repeatedly refused to rule out making developing nations pay – triggering fresh criticism of the delays and uncertainty before any jabs are sent overseas.

Boris Johnson is already under fire after failing to how many doses will be made available or when, despite the UK ordering 450 million and potentially enjoying a vast stockpile.

Now Lord Ahmad, a Foreign Office minister, has ducked questions about charges, saying “details of how and when the vaccines will be shared” are yet to be decided.

He was put on the spot by Baroness Sugg, a former Conservative minister who quit over the huge foreign aid cuts, now – as The Independent revealed – going ahead before MPs are given a vote.

“Can he confirm that the cost of the surplus doses for low-income countries will be met by the UK and that we are not just transferring the ability to buy the vaccine?” she asked.

For developing countries, “one of the main issues is supply, but of course it is also cost”, the peer pointed out.

In response, Lord Ahmad said there would be “further discussions” with vaccine manufacturers and COVAX, the cross-government programme to share jabs across the world.

But he then hinted at charges, saying: “We are contributing £548m for global equitable access through the COVAX AMC [Advance Market Commitment]. That remains the primary area of UK support.”

Sarah Champion, the chair of the Commons international development committee, said: “The government repeatedly stated its intention to give vaccine doses to developing countries.

“It appals me that the government now appears to be considering selling our surplus doses to developing countries. To make a profit from the most vulnerable people on the planet is utterly despicable.”

Preet Gill, Labour’s international development spokeswoman, said: “Any attempt to row back on the pledge to donate our excess vaccines to support people in low income countries get vaccinated will signal a further retreat from the world stage.”

And Heidi Chow, of the campaign group Global Justice Now, said: “Offering surplus doses is just a drop in the ocean to address the vaccine inequality that the government itself has contributed to by hoarding doses.

“If the government is going to make money from its donation, then this gesture is even more a slap in the face to developing countries.”

The controversy was swerved by the prime minister when he made his pledge to share “surplus” vaccines, speaking to the other G7 leaders last week.

Pressure is growing because just 10 rich countries have administered 75 per cent of all vaccinations worldwide, while 130 countries had not yet received a single dose, the United Nations says.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the new head of the World Trade Organisation, pointed to research suggesting a £6.4tn global GDP slump if – by the middle of this year – that gulf remains.

Emmanuel Macron, the French President, has said richer countries should start sending around 5 per cent of their current vaccine supplies to poorer nations.

And Russia, China and India are making their supplies available – in what is seen by some as ‘vaccine diplomacy’, a route to building closer ties with other capitals.