Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Government funding for public health is not use to promote disinformation about vaccines.

National Health Service bodies and upper tier and unitary local authorities in England are responsible for making effective, appropriate use of the resources allocated to them, including funding for public health. Local authorities receive a Public Health Grant from the Department, totalling £3.884 billion in 2025/26. This grant, other than funding allocated to Greater Manchester authorities via their retained business rate arrangement, is ring-fenced for use on public health functions, and the local authority Director of Public Health must certify annually that the funding has been used for appropriate purposes. NHS England commissions national NHS public health services, including national immunisation programmes. It does so to evidence-based standards and is accountable for performance to the Department.

The Government is focused on combating vaccine misinformation as part of its 10-Year Health Plan, working with local authorities and community groups to support vaccine trust.