§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the minutes of meetings of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation held in the last year; and if he will make such minutes publicly available in the future. [3425]
§ Mr. HoramThe minutes of the meetings of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation are confidential. This is to ensure full and frank discussions can be recorded on issues which may include factors affecting external commercial interest and personal medical information. The recommendations of the committee, as endorsed by Ministers, are made available in the publication, "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease", the most recent edition of which was published in September 1996 and copies of which are available in the Library.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the next meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will take place; and what issues will be discussed. [3424]
§ Mr. HoramThe Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation meets twice annually; its next meeting is on 13 November. As with all JCVI meetings, discussion will cover all aspects of communicable diseases preventable, or potentially preventable, through immunisation.
§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has received from the hepatitis sub-group of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding universal vaccination against hepatitis B; and if the next meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will consider this subject. [3426]
§ Mr. HoramMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State receives advice on immunisation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The next meeting of JCVI is on 13 November and will include further discussions on the control of hepatitis B in the United Kingdom, as well as other immunisation matters.