MPs are extremely concerned about the health minister’s plans to sell of the Dutch vaccine institute Intravacc to the private sector, broadcaster NOS said on Tuesday.

Ernst Kuipers plans to sell the Bilthoven-based institute, which used to be part of the RIVM public health agency, because there is not enough ‘added value’ in keeping it. The production arm was sold to an Indian firm in 2012.

But MPs say they are concerned about the decision to give Dutch government expertise on vaccine development to a commercial firm, and coalition party CDA wants assurances that the institute won’t go to the highest bidder or to a non-EU company.

The sale of the lab was halted during the coronavirus pandemic but the process has since resumed.

Kuipers has said he does not see sufficient ‘added value’ in keeping the company specificially for the Netherlands and argues vaccine development should be carried out at EU level.

Intravacc would also be able to attract private capital if it is no longer state-owned, he said. Suggestions that the sale be confined to an EU country would not be legally possible, he added in reply to MPs’ questions.

As well as MPs, the audit office has questioned the sale, saying it may not be in the public interest.