Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of measles cases in England.

In January 2019 Public Health England, Public Health Wales, the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland and Health Protection Scotland published the United Kingdom Measles and rubella elimination strategy, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-and-rubella-elimination-uk-strategy

This strategy sets out four core components required to maintain elimination of measles and rubella:

- achieving and sustaining very high coverage of greater than or equal to 95% with two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) through the routine childhood immunisation programme for those children less than five years old;

- providing opportunities for MMR catch-up to all population groups at risk for and susceptible to measles and/or rubella for those over five years old;

- strengthening surveillance systems by rigorous case investigation and laboratory confirmation of suspected sporadic cases and outbreaks; and

- improving the availability and use of high-quality, evidence-based information for health professionals and the public on the measles and MMR.

A multi-agency implementation board is working with national and local stakeholders to take forward the actions of the strategy.