Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that the section 7a agreement between the Department of Health and NHS England is automatically updated to reflect recommendations made by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

The Section 7A public health functions agreement is updated on an annual basis, at which point any new recommendations from relevant expert committees, including the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI), are taken into account.

If the JCVI makes a recommendation which is urgent, for example in the case of a public health emergency, the agreement can be amended in-year by agreement between the Department and NHS England.