The development of vaccines and therapeutics is a policy area in which it is right that science must lead the way, so that there may be a high level of confidence that a rigorous approach has been taken towards safety and efficacy. From the beginning of the pandemic, the clear advice from experts was that significant investment and resource, at risk of failure, was required on many fronts to maximise the potential for success. The Government listened to this advice and we applaud the speed at which the Government implemented support for research and clinical trials, and took steps to secure the manufacture and procurement of potential vaccines.