§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether any departmental advice has been given to the independent doctors who sit on vaccine damage tribunals regarding the implications of the Loveday judgment on their consideration of whether or not, on the balance of probabilities, a child has been damaged by whooping cough vaccine;
(2) how many doctors sit on the vaccine damage tribunals, and what are their specialties and experience.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThese matters are the responsibility of the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals and vaccine damage tribunals and arrangements have been made for him to respond to the right hon. Member.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for a vaccine damage payment because of alleged damage from the whooping cough vaccine, given either separately or in combination with other vaccines, were received in 1989 and in each of the preceding four years; and in each case what proportion were successful.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardThe available information is given in the table.
417W
Number of claims and awards under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act on the grounds that whooping cough vaccine (administered either singly or in combination with other vaccines) caused severe disablement 1985 to 1989 Number of claims Number of awards1 1989 20 nil 1988 23 3 1987 37 9 1986 42 15 1985 52 23 1 The awards in each year do not necessarily relate to the claims made within the same year.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence from other countries is considered by doctors adjudicating on applications for vaccine damage payments because of alleged damage from the whooping cough vaccine; and whether they are encouraged to consider evidence from those countries which also have vaccine damage payments schemes.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardIn considering whether severe disablement was caused by a particular vaccine the doctor will have regard to the body of research and medical opinion emerging worldwide. In particular, as part of the evidence, account has to be taken of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's decision in the case of Loveday ν. Renton. After taking evidence from a wide range of medical opinion both from this country and abroad, Lord Justice Stuart-Smith concluded that he was not satisfied on the balance of probability that pertussis vaccine can cause permanent brain damage in young children.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether any vaccine damage payments have been made to children allegedly damaged by the whooping cough vaccine since the announcement of the Loveday judgment.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardSince April 1988, when judgment was given in Loveday ν. Renton, there have been no vaccine damage payments in respect of claims made on the grounds that whooping cough vaccine caused severe disablement.