Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Masham of Ilton (Crossbench). It was answered on Monday, 9 October 2006.

Immigration: Tuberculosis Testing

Question: My Lords, how effective is the BCG vaccination, who is having it, and should we not be protecting our children, who may be mixing with children with tuberculosis?

Answer: My Lords, the BCG vaccination has been causing concern. There is an issue about whether children should be given it at 12. The new procedure has meant that we are now looking more at the neonatal stage and giving the vaccination to children much earlier. We know that there is an anxiety about older children, but it is very much part of the Department of Health’s agenda to deal aggressively with this matter and ensure that people are reassured that the changes are safely being made.

Secondary information