The analysis suggests:

• the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 96% effective against hospitalisation after 2 doses
• the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is 92% effective against hospitalisation after 2 doses

These are comparable with vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation from the Alpha variant.

Further work remains underway to establish the level of protection against mortality from the Delta variant. However, as with other variants, this is expected to be high.

The analysis included 14,019 cases of the Delta variant – 166 of whom were hospitalised – between 12 April and 4 June, looking at emergency hospital admissions in England.

Public Health England (PHE) has previously published analysis showing that one dose is 17% less effective at preventing symptomatic illness from the Delta variant, compared to Alpha, but there is only a small difference after 2 doses.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said:

Our UK vaccination programme continues at pace and has already saved thousands of lives. It is our way out of this pandemic.

This evidence of the effectiveness of two doses against variants shows just how crucial it is to get your second jab.

If you have had your first dose but haven’t booked your second yet – please do so. It will help save lives and boost us on the road to recovery.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at PHE, said:

These hugely important findings confirm that the vaccines offer significant protection against hospitalisation from the Delta variant.

The vaccines are the most important tool we have against COVID-19. Thousands of lives have already been saved because of them.

It is absolutely vital to get both doses as soon as they are offered to you, to gain maximum protection against all existing and emerging variants.

Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi said:

It is extremely encouraging to see today’s research showing that vaccines are continuing to help break the link between hospitalisation and the Delta variant after one dose, and particularly the high effectiveness of 2 doses.

If you’re getting the call to bring forward your second dose appointment – do not delay – get the second jab so you can benefit from the fullest possible protection.

Separate PHE analysis indicates that the COVID-19 vaccination programme has so far prevented 14,000 deaths and around 42,000 hospitalisations in older people in England, up to 30 May.

This week is Refugee Week – a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

The government will be marking the occasion by sharing powerful stories of refugees who have come to the UK through government-backed legal routes to start a new life in the UK.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

This week casts a spotlight on all those who have enriched our communities since arriving in the UK looking to rebuild their lives.

Thanks to the generosity and support of the British people, thousands of refugees from every part of the world are here making enormous contributions to our society, culture, economy, and we are a better country for it.

I am moved hearing about the incredible stories of those that have overcome hardship to not just live, but to thrive and call the UK their home.

The UK has a long, proud tradition of providing a home for people fleeing persecution and oppression.

The UK’s generous international protection system offers protection to the most vulnerable through government-backed legal routes – since 2015, over 25,000 men, women and children seeking refuge from cruel circumstances across the world have been resettled in the UK – more than any other European country.

We have also welcomed 29,000 people through the refugee family reunion scheme between 2015 and 2019. More than half of these were children.

And our new global UK Resettlement Scheme which is currently actively resettling refugees to the UK will continue to provide refuge to those in need who are fleeing persecution.

Immigration Compliance and Justice Minister, Chris Philp said:

I am proud of the work government is doing to resettle the most vulnerable around the world and the steps we are taking to strengthen our support and protection of refugees. Over the last 5 years we have resettled more refugees than any other European country.

Proposals within the New Plan for Immigration will lessen the incentive for people to risk their lives crossing the Channel in small, unseaworthy boats.

Alongside strengthened resettlement routes, this will break the deadly business model of people smuggling gangs who use illegal routes to help economic migrants jump the queue, stopping us from properly supporting those in genuine need of protection.

As part of proposals under the New Plan for Immigration, refugees who have resettled into the UK will be granted full rights and entitlements through indefinite leave to remain. This will give them the certainty and stability they need to rebuild their lives.

Priority will also be given to refugees, including children, in regions of conflict and instability, rather than those who are already in safe European countries.

They will be given more support to thrive in local communities. We are providing funding for English language classes, help with finding a job and building links with the local community.

We will ensure more resettled refugees can enter the UK through community sponsorship, encouraging stronger partnerships between local government and community groups.

Our refined resettlement approach will also be more responsive to emerging international crises, resettling refugees who are at urgent risk more quickly.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid present in the cannabis plant (Cannabis sativa L) along with many other cannabinoids that may either exhibit psychoactive or non-psychoactive properties.

CBD plant extract or plant isolates have gained salience as an ingredient in food supplements and in some cosmetic products, and there has been a proliferation of such products, available online and on the high street.

As an isolated substance, CBD is not a controlled drug. However the process of extracting or isolating CBD from the cannabis plant may co-extract other cannabinoids and products could unintentionally include other non-psychoactive or, more significantly, psychoactive cannabinoid substances.

Kit Malthouse MP, Minister of State for Crime and Policing, wrote to the Chair of Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), to seek advice on the issue of CBD products which are not medicines; specifically on the controlled cannabinoids that could be present and the concentrations that they could be present at.

In response to this letter, the Government Chemist wrote to the Chair of the ACMD, (Letter to Chair of ACMD (PDF, 195KB, 3 pages)) explaining the role and remit of the Government Chemist and highlighting the work being undertaken on CBD and controlled can nabinoids by the Government Chemist. This letter was copied to Kit Malthouse MP for information.

Subsequently, Kit Malthouse MP wrote back to the Government Chemist (Letter from Kit Malthouse to Government Chemist (PDF, 147KB, 2 pages)), thanking him for the information. Following this correspondence, the Government Chemist was invited to present the results of its cross-government funded international ring trial on CBD and controlled cannabinoids in consumer products in April 2021, as evidence to the ACMD’s consumer cannabidiol (CBD) products: call for evidence.

The report on the international ring trial on CBD and controlled cannabinoids in consumer products will be published on the Government Chemist website later this month.