Business of the House

Bobby Dean Excerpts

Thursday 19th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Bobby Dean (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

I am sure that you, Mr Speaker, will be as concerned as I am about the recent outbreak of meningitis in Kent, and I am sure the thoughts of the whole House are with the families who have lost loved ones already. The UK Health Security Agency has a huge job on its hands to get good public health information out there and to work with the NHS on a targeted vaccination programme. It is a reminder of how much faith and trust we put in health professionals in these moments of crisis. They are all dedicated to keeping us safe.

This situation is also a reminder of the dangers of bad information. It is a sad truth that in this country, the take-up rates of child vaccination have declined over the past decade. Some of that has been attributed to misinformation that is allowed to spread freely online, but there are also well-organised and well-funded anti-vaccination groups, which I am sure we have all come across. Unfortunately, that has been egged on at times by populist politicians. President Trump in America has appointed a vaccine sceptic into a senior role in the White House and the Reform party platformed an anti-vax spokesperson at its conference recently.

All of us who have dared to confront this subject will have got stick online. I have even had protesters stop me on the high street while walking my dog to give me stick about the subject. I think that has made us a little bit scared as a political class to take this subject on, and it is about time that we used moments like this to take on the conspiracy theorists. Will the Leader of the House organise for a statement to be made about how we will tackle the rise in misinformation and conspiracy theories and, ultimately, get the rate of childhood vaccination up again?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

First, as I said in my earlier remarks, our thoughts are with the friends and families of the young people who tragically died, but also with others who are currently unwell. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right about the importance of the UKHSA. It is monitoring the situation and has launched a targeted vaccination programme, starting with students who are most at risk. They will be contacted directly. I encourage everyone affected to take preventive antibiotics or the vaccine if they are offered them.

The Health Secretary is considering what steps can be taken to improve wider vaccination uptake, not just in respect of this matter, but across the population. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right in his comments about misinformation or disinformation. I urge everyone to share the public health information that is being disseminated online so that we can spread facts, rather than misinformation. It is an important matter, and I will draw his comments to the attention of the Health Secretary.