Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of section 39 of the Immigration Act 2014 on the level of immunisations amongst children against the infectious diseases listed in Schedule 1 of The National Health Services (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2011.

NHS treatment in primary care (which in this context includes the standard childhood immunisations) is currently exempt from charging under the National Health Services (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations (2011). In addition, treatment for infectious diseases listed in Schedule 1 of the Regulations is also exempt from charging.

Section 39 of the Immigration Act 2014 concerns a change in the definition of ordinary residence within the context of National Health Services charging provisions for non-EEA nationals who are subject to immigration control. Some NHS services are only free-of-charge to those people who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom. Primary care services are currently free-of-charge, regardless of ordinarily resident status.

The introduction of section 39 will affect neither the exemptions in primary care nor the exemptions for infectious diseases.