§ Ms. HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the vaccination programme.
§ Mr. FreemanUptake figures for the year 1987–88 (April to March) show an increase in the national vaccination rate for polio, diphtheria and tetanus to 87 per cent., measles 76 per cent. and whooping cough 73 per cent. Ninety-six out of 190 district health authorities in England have now reached or surpassed the 1990 target of 90 per cent. for polio, while measles and whooping cough are showing welcome signs of moving towards that target.
These figures do not include the results of a very successful campaign against measles last summer (when three times the average monthly usage of the vaccine was recorded), or the introduction from October 1988 of the combined vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), which has already been an outstanding success. Already more than 1.2 million doses of that vaccine have been distributed, against a requirement for the recommended groups of 400,0000.
We intend to maintain this momentum and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced in December that £7.8 million has been allocated towards purchase of the MMR vaccine in 1989–90.
From 1989–90 we shall also be committing at least £1 million per annum towards the promotion of immunisation jointly with the HEA. This remains a very important part of our programme in which both health authorities and general practitioners are expected to play a full part.