Only four out of five children are having the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccination before the age of two.

The figures suggest that many parents are still anxious about a possible link to autism.

The public health minister, Melanie Johnson, said: "A recent major study of UK children concluded that children who receive the MMR vaccine have no increased risk of autism than children who don't have the vaccine.

"This is consistent with numerous other studies from the UK and around the world. MMR is recognised by the World Health Organisation as having an outstanding safety record."