Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the flu vaccine is not available for all people over 65 in the South Shields Constituency; and when he plans to make that vaccine available for everyone in that age group.

The adjuvanted trivalent flu (aTIV) is available to everyone over 65 years of age.

To enable adequate supply of the aTIV to be available in 2018-19, deliveries have had to be phased across three months; 40% in September, 20% in October and 40% in November. All general practice and pharmacies in the United Kingdom will have the delivery of their orders by 17 November. This is a specific arrangement for 2018-19 to allow effective supply of the vaccine.