HC Deb 17 December 2003 vol 415 cc998-9W
Nick Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of providing the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to (a) all children between two months and two years of age and (b) only those children at risk between two months and two years of age; and if he will make a statement. [144108]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The cost of providing pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to all children under two years of age will depend on the negotiated price of the vaccine.

The number of children at risk is not known and therefore the cost cannot be estimated. The recommendation to immunise at-risk children under two years is consistent with United Kingdom policy for those aged over two years.

Nick Harvey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many at-risk children are entitled to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; what proportion of those children have been given the vaccine; and if he will make a statement. [144109]

Miss Melanie Johnson

This information is not held centrally.