Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a vaccination programme for primary school children against Group A Streptococcal infection.

The Department works closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England, with expert advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, to design, implement, and deliver vaccination programmes offering high levels of long-term protection.

There is currently no licensed vaccine for the Group A Streptococcus (GAS) bacterium in the world. In the absence of a vaccine, UKHSA has been actively involved in several projects to increase our understanding of the transmission of GAS infections and identification of key risk factors. These have formed the basis of national public health guidelines to control the spread of infection and protect those most at risk.

NHS England also provides public guidance on how parents can protect themselves and their children against GAS, including recognising the symptoms and getting treatment. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/strep-a/