Ministers have warned that ignoring expert advice on childhood vaccinations will undermine public confidence in the country

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Ministers faced a back-bench rebellion Friday night over child vaccinations after 26 Conservative MPs warned that scrapping expert advice could lead to a “dismantling of the bond of trust” between the public and government.

In a letter to Sajid Javid, the health minister, MPs said the government’s desire to “ignore” the Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) was a cause for “great concern”.

Their intervention comes as Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, prepares to advise ministers on whether there is a broader benefit to society from vaccinating children.

In the letter, MPs noted that “a significant part” of the success of the UK’s vaccination program stems from the work of the JCVI which has “successfully set priorities for the vaccination launch since January”.

They added: “As a result of their leadership, the UK has one of the lowest levels of vaccine frequency in the world, and so far more than 90 per cent of the adult population feel confident enough in their analysis to have at least one confident dose of vaccine.

“Every step of the way, from the first hit given in December, to three-quarters of us being fully vaccinated now, JCVI has brought the country with it.”

Signatories to the letter include Esther McVeigh, the former Secretary of State, Sir Graham Brady, Chairman of the 1922 Committee of Members of the House of Representatives, and William Wragg, Chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Members of Parliament said they were concerned that any attempt by the government to “reverse” the advice now could lead to “the dissolution of the bond of trust that has grown between the state and the public”.

Last week, the JCVI issued its long-awaited ruling, saying the “margin of benefit” from hitting 12- to 15-year-olds was “considered too small” citing the low risk to otherwise healthy children from the virus.

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