§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of levels of supply to the Greater Manchester area of the MMR and meningitis vaccines; and if she will make a statement.
§ Dr. MawhinneyThe Department of Health is aware that there is presently some shortfall in the availability of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine due to an interruption to supply between 19 April and 7 May, caused by a change from the company which packages the vaccine for distribution in the United Kingdom. The Department wrote to all district immunisation co-ordinators early in April advising them of this interruption and advising that further substantial quantities would become available immediately after 7 May. This vaccine is now being made available to health authorities and any shortfalls will be made good.
There is no shortage of the haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) vaccine; all orders for the vaccine placed this year have been met in full and large stocks are available for requisition.