asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if Her Majesty's Government will raise in the World Health Assembly the need to review the requirement of the World Health Assembly that international vaccination certificates should be authenticated.

The International Health Regulations are due for review by the World Health Organisation when the position on eradication of smallpox has become clearer and the use of a more stable yellow fever vaccine has been evaluated. The procedure for authentication will be borne in mind. In the meantime, as more countries no longer make a general requirement of smallpox vaccination on entry, the need for these certificates has diminished considerably.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services further to the reply of 10th November, why the World Health Assembly does not regard the signature and stamp of a medical practitioner as adequate proof of the validity of a vaccination certificate.

Authentication is needed which is recognisable at immigration controls in other countries and which provides independent confirmation that the certificate has been signed by a qualified medical practitioner.