Britain’s armed forces could administer 100,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine a day if required, helping immunise millions of vulnerable people before the spring, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said.

Wallace said he had already authorised 130 military planners and personnel to work with the health service on ramping up the vaccine rollout, and more staff could be used to administer the vaccine itself.

“I’ve also got plans for up to 250 teams of mobile medically-trained personnel who could go out and administer the vaccine around the country — that would be over 100,000 a day they could potentially deliver if that is requested by the NHS (National Health Service),” he told Times Radio.