Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what targets his Department has set for the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination in each at-risk group for the winter of 2015-16.

A copy of the Annual Flu Plan and Annual Flu letter 2015/16 is attached, this provides guidance on the seasonal flu vaccination programme. In 2015-16, the seasonal flu vaccination will be offered to the following at risk-groups:

- people aged 65 years and over;

- people aged six months to under 65 with long-term conditions;

- pregnant women;

- people living in a residential or nursing home; and

- the main carer of an older or disabled person.

We also encourage all frontline health and social care workers to get the flu vaccination to help protect themselves, their families and the vulnerable patients they come into contact with.

This year we aim to reach a minimum 75% uptake for those aged 65 years and older, and frontline health and social care workers.