* UK refuses to publish Astra supply details
* Scotland says it will publish vaccine supply data
* EU warns drug companies over supply delays
(Adds comments from UK's former vaccine head)
By Sarah Young
LONDON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Britain cannot publish details of
the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine supply contract because
it would jeopardize national security, a junior minister said on
Friday, as the European Union threatened drug companies over
supply delays.
Europe's fight to secure vaccines intensified on Thursday
when the EU warned drug companies that it would use all legal
means or even block exports unless they agreed to deliver shots
as promised.
Scotland will publish COVID-19 detailed vaccine supply data
next week even though the British government has refused to do
so.
British prisons minister Lucy Frazer said the government had
been transparent with data but could not publish supply details
for national security reasons which she repeatedly refused to
specify.
"My understanding is it risks national security," Frazer, a
former barrister, told LBC radio, when asked why the data had
not been published. She refused to say how publication of such
data could hurt national security.
The swiftest mass vaccination drive in history is stoking
tensions across the world as big powers buy up doses in bulk and
poorer nations try to navigate a financial and diplomatic
minefield to collect whatever supplies are left.
Israel is by far the world leader on vaccine rollout per
head of population, followed by the United Arab Emirates, the
United Kingdom, Bahrain and the United States. Behind them are
Italy, Germany, France, China and Russia.
The United Kingdom has secured 367 million doses of the
seven most promising vaccines, including 100 million doses of
the AstraZeneca vaccine which was developed by Oxford
University.
Kate Bingham, the former head of the UK's vaccine taskforce,
said the country had been able to secure supplies by supporting
pharmaceutical companies, setting up clinical trials quickly and
helping firms procure equipment to scale up manufacturing.
She declined to comment on the detail of the contract with
AstraZeneca, but said that the UK had benefited from early work
to be ready to make vaccines.
"That is ultimately the difference as to why we're so far
ahead on manufacturing," Bingham said, adding that she did not
expect the EU to block vaccine exports to the UK.
The EU's contract with AstraZeneca for its COVID-19 vaccine
contains binding orders, EU Commision Head Ursula von der Leyen
said on Friday, demanding a plausible explanation from the
drugmaker for delivery hold-ups.
"I think we'll just go back to publishing the actual supply
figures from next week, so that we all have transparency around
that," Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament on Thursday.
(Reporting by Sarah Young and Alistair Smout; editing by Guy
Faulconbridge and Paul Sandle)
Astrazeneca (AZN)
