The proportion of eligible children receiving their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR1) by their fifth birthday has met the World Health Organization target of 95 per cent for the first time in England in 2016-17.

Statistics published by NHS Digital, show that the proportion of children receiving the MMR1 vaccine by age five has increased year on year since 2006-07, with the last two years seeing an increase from 94.8 per cent (2015/16) to the target of 95 per cent (2016/17), the first time this target has been reached.

The figures also showed that coverage of the MMR1 vaccine by a child's second birthday has decreased in 2016-17 for the third year in a row to 91.6 per cent.

The statistics also include national coverage figures for the other routine childhood vaccinations that are offered to all children up to the age of five, including the 5-in-1 vaccine, rotavirus and meningococcal B, and these show regional variation. Levels of immunisation for 10 out of the 12 routine childhood vaccinations covered by the report were highest in the North East. London had the lowest immunisation coverage for all 12 routine childhood vaccinations included.

The 2016-17 report is accompanied by a new interactive data dashboard, developed in collaboration with Public Health England, which enables users to drill down to local authority level and examine both local and national trends in greater detail.