§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are currently in Scottish hospitals or other residential institutions who are known or believed to be suffering from brain damage caused by whooping-cough vaccine.
§ Mr. Harry EwingNo information on this subject is available centrally; and assessment of the individual oases is extremely difficult. It is hoped that clearer information will be obtained about this problem as the result of a special study sponsored by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
§ Mr. Rifkindasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children in Scotland are believed by his Department to be suffering from brain damage caused by whooping-cough vaccine.
§ Mr. Harry EwingWhooping-cough vaccination has been offered in Scotland since 1957 and in recent years about 70 per cent. of children have been receiving the vaccine. The evidence available has not enabled my Department to evaluate the five cases reported by parents to it since the beginning of 1973 of brain damage said to be attributable to the vaccine.