Written question asked by Elsie Blundell (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 16 September 2025 (named day). It was answered by Ashley Dalton (Labour) on Tuesday, 16 September 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

MMR Vaccine

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to provide up-to-date clinical guidance on the age groups that should receive the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

Answer

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) ensures commissioners, providers, and relevant healthcare professionals have access to the necessary resources to communicate accurate information, including age groups, about the routine childhood immunisation programme. UKHSA writes the national clinical guideline ‘immunisation against infectious disease’, known as ‘The Green Book’, which includes up-to-date clinical guidance on eligibility for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the relevant chapters. The Green Book is available at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e021b9140f0b6665e80187b/Greenbook_chapter_21_Measles_December_2019.pdf

From 1 January 2026, general practitioners will offer eligible children a combined vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) as part of the routine infant vaccination schedule.

The eligibility criteria for children will be set out in clinical guidance, which will be published in due course, covering which birth cohorts will get the MMRV vaccine and when, to ensure the most effective protection for children.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 76095
Session: 2024-26
Subjects: MMR vaccine
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

MMR Vaccine

Secondary information

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