§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health on what grounds, while exemption from risks attendant upon vaccination may be secured in the case of children of school age and adolescents, no such exemption is allowed in the case of infants?
Sir H. YOUNG:I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the advice which has been given by my Department that, in the present state of knowledge and as long as the smallpox prevalent in this country retains its mild character, it is not generally expedient to press for the vaccination of children of school age or adolescents who have not previously been vaccinated, unless they have been in personal contact with a case of smallpox or directly exposed to smallpox infection. This advice is based on the findings of the Committee on Vaccination, whose re port was published in 1928 and expressed the view that early infancy remains the time of choice for primary vaccination
§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health the percentage of infants vaccinated in Hackney and in Bethnal Green for each of the years from 1925 to the latest date available?
2058W
Sir H. YOUNGFollowing are the percentages asked for:
Bethnal Green. Hackney. 1925 … 16.5 29.9 1926 … 16.7 29.8 1927 … 18.2 29.7 1928 … 9.2 26.0 1929 … 14.0 27.0 1930 … 11.6 28.8 1931 … 10.7 29.5 1932 … 14.6 31.5 1933 … 13.7 31.2