§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 2000,Official Report, column 143W, how much of the new money for support of health authorities dealing with meningococcal Group C was a transfer of money from under-used resources in the BCG vaccination programme. [105902]
§ Yvette CooperThe £9 million being made available to health authorities to support the meningococcal Group C immunisation programme referred to in my Answer of 11 January is new money and has not come from the BCG programme. Funding for the meningococcal Group C immunisation programme has come from a separate source to that used to fund the BCG immunisation programme.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 2000, Official Report, column 143W, how the resources allocated to the BCG vaccination programme are being used. [105903]
§ Yvette CooperFunding for the central purchase of BCG vaccine remains available for when vaccine supplies are reinstated. The redeployment of the health workers, especially school nurses, involved in delivering BCG vaccine, is a matter for individual health authorities and trusts but we are aware that some of these staff are currently involved in the meningococcal Group C immunisation programme in schools.