§ Mr. GoodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the availability of the BCG vaccine in schools in Buckingham. [5649]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 20 July 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
The Government's policy is that all school children should be immunised with BCG between the ages of 10 and 14 if they have not previously been immunised. Initially, in Buckinghamshire, this vaccine was offered to those students who were due to leave school in summer 2001. Where there has been sufficient vaccine and resources, year 10 pupils were also offered testing and immunisation. Any current year 10 and year 11 pupils who have not been offered the vaccine will be offered testing and immunisation during this academic year.