To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans there are to include vaccines in the ‘Innovation Pass’ programme announced by the Office for Life Sciences. [HL5261]

The Life Sciences Blueprint, published by the Office for Life Sciences on 14 July 2009, announced that the Government with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will introduce an innovation pass. Strict criteria will be developed to determine which innovative technologies qualify for the innovation pass. NICE will have a key role in developing and applying eligibility criteria for the pass. The pass will be piloted with a budget of £25 million in 2010-11. The pilot will be developed with input from industry, NICE and the National Health Service and will be the subject of consultation by November 2009.

The blueprint is available at: www.dius.gov.uk/ols