The new health secretary has heralded the "great task" which lies ahead as the UK opens up again following Covid-19 restrictions.
Sajid Javid was addressing the House of Commons for the first time in the new role following Matt Hancock's resignation on Saturday (July 26).
"There remains a big task ahead of us - to restore our freedoms. Freedoms that, save for the greatest of circumstances, no government should ever wish to curtail.
"So my task is to help return the economic and cultural life that makes this country so great while of course protecting life and our NHS.
"Now that task has been made all the more difficult by the Delta variant, which we now know makes up some 95 per cent of all new cases in the UK.
Mr Javid highlighted the difficulties posed by the Delta variant, first identified in India, and said the Government is using the four-week delay in easing restrictions in England to “protect as many people as we can”.
He told the Commons: “When the Government took that decision on June 14, over 4.3 million over-40s had had a first dose but not a second.
“Now that’s down to 3.2 million people over 40."
"We can all be assured by how many more people are getting the life-saving opportunity that the vaccine offers.”
Mr Javid also praised his predecessor Mr Hancock, telling MPs: “He worked hard throughout all these testing times.
“He has achieved a great amount in the work that he did and I know he will have more to offer in public life – and I wish him the very best.”
