Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve vaccination rates for measles for children in England.

The UK Health Security Agency is working closely with NHS England as well as the Department and wider health system partners at the national regional and local levels to improve uptake of the routine childhood immunisations and catch-up children who missed out. Increasing uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to achieve the World Health Organisation target of 95% uptake by the time children reach five years old is a key priority for the National Health Service and a clear commitment in its Long Term Plan.

The NHS is expanding the national invite reminders scheme, starting in the next few weeks, by inviting those aged between six and 11 years old who are missing a first or second MMR vaccination. During February 2024 to the end of March 2024 we will be inviting approximately one million children via their parents and guardians.