Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government's proposed vaccination strategy will include an approach to limiting the impact of chickenpox on society; and if he will make a statement.

The forthcoming vaccine strategy will consider all vaccination programmes over the life-course. The strategy does not directly consider the impact of chickenpox on society. However, it will build on efforts already under way to improve national immunisation programmes and support innovation.

Our chickenpox (varicella) immunisation programme, following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), is targeted at those who are in close contact with people who are at high risk from chickenpox, such as siblings of a leukaemic child, or a child whose parent is undergoing chemotherapy. The JCVI does not currently recommend universal varicella vaccine as part of the routine childhood programme.