Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timescale is on the rollout of the Meningitis B Bexsero Vaccine; what recent discussions he has had on making this vaccine available to teenage student groups; and if he will make a statement.

The national meningococcal B (MenB) immunisation programme for infants is planned to start in England in September 2015. We will be confirming details shortly.

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has not recommended the use of MenB vaccine in other age groups. However, JCVI did advise that further research is needed into the effectiveness of the MenB vaccine, Bexsero^® in preventing transmission of infection in adolescents. The Department is working with JCVI, Public Health England and groups currently conducting research into meningococcal carriage, to address JCVI’s advice.