§ Dr. SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were(a) harmed and (b) died as a result of immunisation in each of the last five years. [41643]
§ Mr. SackvilleA report of a suspected reaction does not necessarily mean it was caused by the vaccine. Reports to the Medicines Control Agency of suspected 983W adverse reactions to vaccines classified in children, aged 15 years or less, in the United Kingdom are presented in the table:
Reports of any reactions to a vaccine Reports of a fatal reaction to a vaccine 1 November 1990–31 October 1991 292 6 1 November 1991–31 October 1992 610 7 1 November 1992–31 October 1993 1,843 12 1 November 1993–31 October 1994 830 4 1 November 1994–31 October 1995 1,840 2 These figures include 19 sudden infant deaths but the age at which SIDS most commonly occurs is coincidental with that for the recommended primary vaccination schedule. Numerous studies have failed to identify a causal link with vaccination.
Eleven deaths occurred in children with underlying pathologies that were not linked to vaccination.
Approximately 80 million doses of vaccines used in the childhood programme have been distributed in the UK in the last five years.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the percentage of parents who do not wish to have their children immunised. [42281]
§ Mr. SackvilleCurrent United Kingdom immunisation coverage by a child's second birthday is: 95.8 per cent. for diphtheria, tetanus and polio; 93.5 per cent. for pertussis; 94.9 per cent. for Hib; and 92.5 per cent for
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Numbers of patients on inpatient/day case waiting lists on 31 March 922,676 958,976 948,243 917,717 994,974 1,065,369 1,044,051 Numbers of waiting over 12 months on 31 March 223,311 207,860 169,781 80,585 56,877 64,508 32,194 Average waiting time for inpatient/day case admission as at 31 March (in months) 9.3 8.6 7.6 5.1 4.5 4.6 4 Available hospital beds during financial year staring 1 April (1) 270,000 255,000 243,000 232,000 219,000 212,000 n/a Hospital doctors as at 30 September (2)(3) 38,910 40,250 41,430 42,290 43,800 44,660 n/a Hospital nurses and midwives as at 30 September (2)(4) 346,710 342,360 339,300 325,370 307,870 296,090 n/a Medical students qualifying as at 31 July (5) 2,639 2,808 2,730 2,788 2,759 2,866 n/a Medical school places available as at October 3,051 3,051 3,051 3,051 3,051 3,315 n/a n/a Data not available yet. (1) Average daily number of available beds, wards open day and night, all specialties.
(2) Whole time equivalents.
(3) Excludes hospital dentists and medical and dental locums.
(4) Excludes agency staff and Project 2000 students. Project 2000 training was introduced in 1989 and has gradually replaced traditional nurse training. Non-Project 2000 nurses undertaking training are included in work force figures. There were no Project 2000 students in 1989; for subsequent years the figures were 3,000, 10,500, 18,300, 28,000, and 32,000. The figure for 1995 is not yet available.
(5) Medical students with first registerable medical qualification.