Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment to helping poorer countries with much-needed supplies of Covid vaccines.

Boris Johnson committed to donating most of the UK's surplus vaccine supply to poorer countries in a speech to a virtual meeting of the G7 countries held on Friday.

It is expected that more than half of the excess doses will go to Covax, a UN initiative intended to ensure wider access to vaccines.

Mr Halcro Johnston said: “The UK has now vaccinated over 17 million of our citizens, more than have been vaccinated across the entire EU.

“The UK’s success in rolling out the vaccine to our own population places us in a very strong position to also taking a lead in helping people in poorer countries.

“The pandemic has had a devastating impact right across the globe, and we have both a moral and a practical responsibility to do everything possible to contribute to the worldwide effort that is taking place to suppress the virus.

“Despite our success in vaccinating people here, there will be no return to normality until other countries make more progress in their vaccination programmes.

“I very much hope that the UK contribution will make a significant difference to making life better for people everywhere, something we can and should be very proud of.”