The Health Committee of the Greater London Authority Council convened for an extraordinary meeting on Monday 9 March 2026. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss the unprecedented measles outbreak in North London. The committee was also scheduled to address declarations of interest from its members.

Declarations of Interests

The committee was scheduled to consider a report detailing the offices held by Assembly Members, which are to be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests. The report also outlined the process for members to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific agenda items, and any other relevant interests, including gifts and hospitality received. The recommendations included noting the list of offices held by Assembly Members as disclosable pecuniary interests, and noting any declarations made by members regarding specific agenda items or other relevant interests. The report also referenced the advice from the GLA's Monitoring Officer regarding these declarations.

Measles Outbreak

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the ongoing measles outbreak in North London. The report provided background information on measles, describing it as a highly infectious virus that can cause serious complications and death. Symptoms typically include cold-like symptoms followed by a rash.

Since the beginning of 2026, over 150 cases of measles have been recorded in London, with the majority affecting children under 10. The outbreak is particularly concentrated in Enfield, which has seen low uptake rates for the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine. The report noted that approximately one in five infected children required hospital treatment. The outbreak has spread to surrounding boroughs in North London, prompting Enfield Council to advise individuals with suspected measles to isolate and encourage unvaccinated or uncertain individuals to contact their GP.

The committee was scheduled to address several key questions regarding the outbreak:

• What measures are being implemented to contain the measles outbreak?
• How are local boroughs collaborating with each other and the Greater London Authority (GLA)?
• What has been the impact of the outbreak on hospitals, schools, and other public services?
• What actions are being taken to improve vaccination rates in Enfield and across London?

Invited guests were scheduled to attend in two panels. The first panel included Nalini Iyanger, Consultant in Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency, and Dudu Sher Arami, Director of Public Health for Enfield. The second panel comprised Susan Elden, Consultant in Public Health for NHS England (London); Katherine Richardson, Director of Resilience for the GLA; and Dr Yimmy Chow, Regional Deputy Director for UKHSA London.

The committee was recommended to note the report as background for questioning the invited guests and to note the subsequent discussion. Additionally, authority was to be delegated to the Chairman, in consultation with party Group Lead Members, to agree any output arising from the discussion.

Date of Next Meeting

The meeting agenda also included a note regarding the date of the next meeting. The London Assembly's Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 2026, will determine the committees to be established for the 2026/27 Assembly Year and their respective timetables.