To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of renewed concerns in England regarding an increase in cases of measles and failure to meet MMR vaccination uptake targets, whether it will (a) carry out a further campaign to increase uptake and (b) promote and undertake further catch-up work for people previously not immunised.

MMR uptake rates in Scotland have been higher than in many parts of England throughout the last decade. The quarterly childhood immunisation statistics published on 30 September indicate that uptake of the MMR vaccine by 24 months in Scotland was 91.7%, whereas the comparable figure for England in 2007-08 was 85%, and uptake in London was less than 80%.

The rate of measles is also much lower in Scotland relative to the population than in the rest of the UK. In 2008 there have been a total of 53 laboratory confirmed cases of measles in Scotland, compared to 1049 laboratory confirmed cases in England and Wales to the end of October 2008.

For these reasons there are no plans to extend the English MMR catch-up campaign to Scotland. But we are not being complacent and have a number of initiatives underway that aim to reduce risk of measles, mumps and rubella. The "Never Too Late" campaign, launched in 2006, aims to encourage vaccination of children who may be beyond the normal age for vaccination, emphasising that it is never too late to be vaccinated. Currently there is also a national initiative to focus invitations for the second dose of MMR pre-school vaccination at the lower end of the age range for vaccinations, thereby decreasing the period of time in which children are reliant on protection from only one dose of MMR.