Mark Drakeford accuses Matt Hancock of lying over claims England helped Wales achieve success with vaccine roll-out
Mark Drakeford has stated claims from England's Health Secretary Matt Hancock that Wales' successful vaccination programme was just possible because England was keeping a stockpile were "simply factually untrue".
Wales has vaccinated people more quickly than England despite the two nations receiving population-based shares from the UK Government's vaccine supplies.
On Thursday, Mr Hancock said the Department of Health in England had decided to keep "enough of a buffer" for people to get their second vaccinations and held some vaccinations in case there is a disruption to provide. Read his comments here.
But speaking on Newsnight that was broadcast from Cardiff on Thursday, Mr Drakeford said: "It's just factually untrue. We draw nothing from an English buffer. We manage our very own stocks, and also the fact we've got some of the best vaccination rates on the planet is just because of the way in which the programme in Wales has been organised and delivered."
Earlier Mr Hancock had told the Science Committee: "I would reason that the vaccination programme demonstrates that the union saves lives as well as in the case of Wales, the union helps Wales to have one of the fastest vaccination programmes on the planet and I wish them every luck within the delivery from it."
The Welsh Government tweeted its response, disputing Mr Hancock's answer.
"The prosperity of our world-leading vaccine programme is a result of excellent planning and the sheer hard work of vaccine teams around Wales. It is wrong to point out we're dependent on an “English buffer” – we've our own – we're simply more efficient at utilizing it."
In the interview, Mr Drakeford said that the union "wasn't working because we don't have the mechanisms in place for the four nations of the United Kingdom to come together, to release together things that have been in our common interest to go together".
He said there had been an effective meeting with Boris Johnson a week ago high were "promising signs" that they could work together better.
But he added: "What we should have to do is create a convincing case for the United Kingdom. The concept that the United Kingdom is likely to go on regardless, is simply to walk in to the dangers which are there. I don't think the Prime Minister attends to it using the seriousness that is required and I think his recipe for that United Kingdom is one that can make things worse instead of better."
