§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pregnancies were terminated in 1979 because of (a) maternal rubella disease, (b) maternal rubella contact and (c) maternal rubella immunisation.
§ Sir George YoungThe information is not yet available.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many girls were aged between 11 and 14 years since 1978 and 1979 in each area health authority, and what percentage of girls, in each year, had been vaccinated against rubella.
§ Sir George YoungThe numbers in this particular age group are not held centrally but, as part of the rubella vaccination campaign, the Department will be seeking information from area health authorities on the percentage uptake of rubella vaccination among girls in the group.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of rubella were reported in 1978, 1979 and at the last date for which figures are available.
§ Sir George YoungRubella is not a notifiable disease, but returns to the Royal College of General Practitioners from a representative sample of practices show the national trend, expressed as a weekly rate per 100,000 of the population, of all ages, to be as follows:
1978 13.4 1979 8.7 1980 (up to 17 May) 6.7
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has any plans to continue the rubella campaign; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Sir George YoungAlthough the Department has no plans to launch another national publicity campaign, health authorities' efforts will need to be sustained in order that the targets set last year may be achieved and maintained.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, following his Department's rubella campaign in 1979, if he will list those health authorities which are undertaking rubella campaigns; and whether any campaign has been stopped because of financial constraints.
§ Sir George YoungI am not aware that any local campaign has been stopped because of financial constraints but details are left to health authorities and the Department does not maintain a list of those running campaigns. If the hon. Member wishes to know the position in a particular authority, he may like to seek the information direct.
§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the incidence of congenital rubella by area health authority in 1979.
§ Sir George YoungThe national congenital rubella surveillance scheme does not give the number of notifications of congenital rubella by area. Only 34 children born in Great Britain in 1979 with congenital rubella had been notified to the scheme by 1 March 1980. It is expected that the final total will exceed this number as further notifications have yet to be confirmed and some defects only become apparent later in life.