§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about cases of tuberculosis which have been confirmed in the area covered by the Scunthorpe health district.
§ Dr. VaughanI am aware there has been some local concern about the number of cases notified in this district. I understand that the area health authority has arrangements for monitoring the incidence of the disease and that it considers its services for prevention, detection and treatment adequate.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance his Depeartment offers to area health authorities about vaccination against tuberculosis.
§ Dr. VaughanCurrent advice to area health authorities is that BCG vaccine should be given as a matter of routine to tuberculin negative children between 11 and 13 years of age; at birth to children of immigrant families from areas where there is a high risk of contracting tuberculosis; to tuberculin negative contacts of known cases of tuberculosis; and to certain National Health Service staff.
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§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed in the Scunthorpe health district in each of the past five years.
§ Dr. VaughanThe number of notifications between 1975 and 1979 was as follows:
1975 35 1976 18 1977 28 1978 16 1979 12 (notifications to date) Comparable figures prior to 1975 are not available.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of tuberculosis are currently being treated in the United Kingdom.
§ Dr. VaughanThere were 163,940 cases of tuberculosis under treatment, supervision or observation in chest clinics in England and Wales on 31 December 1977, the latest date for which national figures are available. I understand that comparable figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not available.