UK Chief Scientific Officer has £600,000 of shares in Covid19 vaccine maker

Sir Patrick Vallance has a £600,000 shareholding in a pharmaceuticals giant which is racing to develop a Covid vaccine for the Government, a report has revealed.

The Chief Scientific Adviser holds the deferred bonus of 43,111 shares in GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) from his time as president of the multinational company.

Patrick, who also chairs the Government's expert panel on vaccines, predicted at a news conference this week that the first effective doses of a jab might become available on a limited basis by the end of this year.

GSK is one of more than 20 drugs companies around the world in the race to provide the cure for coronavirus – an achievement which would be colossally lucrative.

Sir Patrick's former employer has deals with the British and US governments to supply them with Covid-19 vaccines, subject to terms in a final contract.

The Government said that Sir Patrick holds a deferred share bonus which will mature in April 2021 but declined to comment on the size of the holding or its value.