Written question asked by Mark Oaten (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 14 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 24 November 2000. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Friday, 24 November 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children of school age have waited over one year beyond the recorded date for their BCG vaccination in each of the last three years. - (Holding answer 17 November 2000).

Answer: Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children of school age have waited over one year beyond the recorded date for their BCG vaccination in each of the last three years. [138989] Yvette Cooper: [holding answer 17 November 2000]: BCG vaccine has been in limited supply for some time due to severe manufacturing problems encountered by the sole United Kingdom licensed source, Celltech Medeva. As a result, we had no alternative but to request health authorities suspend their routine schools immunisation programme for 10 to 14-year-olds from September 1999. In the meantime, stocks are being used specifically for those at higher risk. On 19 July, the Department announced that there is now sufficient supply of vaccine to restart the routine schools programme initially in the London area, where the highest rate of tuberculosis in the country currently occurs. The Department hopes to announce shortly when there will be enough vaccine to restart routine immunisation in the rest of the country. Information on the number of children of school age who have waited over one year or beyond for their BCG vaccination is not routinely available.

Secondary information