350,000 girls of 12 will be offered vaccine to fight sex disease

Ministers have given the go-ahead to the scheme to protect the youngsters against the sexually-transmitted human papilloma virus.

The virus can trigger cervical cancer in later life. Around 1,000 women a year die of the disease and experts believe the jab will save around 700 of them.

But it has to be given before puberty to be most effective, leading to concerns from some quarters that it will encourage girls into underage sex.

The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that girls aged 12 and 13 should be offered injections of the vaccine Gardasil.

Health Minister Caroline Flint said the Government had accepted the advice "in principle" - subject to an independent analysis of the benefits compared to the costs.

Like all vaccination programmes, the scheme will be voluntary and parents would be able to refuse permission for their daughter to have the jab.

"The benefits of introducing this vaccine will be felt by women and their families for generations to come," she said. "We are hoping girls will start being vaccinated from as early as 2008."

She said no decision had been taken on whether to accept the joint committee's recommendation of a "catchup" programme to vaccinate girls aged between 13 and 16. Each jab costs £300 and if every first-year secondary school child receives it, it will cost £100million.

Such vaccinations have already been given the go-ahead in a number of European countries.

The joint committee has been criticised for taking so long to come to a decision, which means the programme will not begin until September 2008 rather than the next school year.

Critics say it will mean that 700 will die of cervical cancer who could otherwise have been saved. Pamela Morton, director of the cervical cancer charity Jo's Trust, said it was a good day, but it could have been a great day.

"We're pleased that the committee has at last made a recommendation and are in theory glad that the Government has accepted it in principle. But we're disappointed we're going to have to wait for a full recommendation in October.

"The delay is a major concern. Around 350,000 young women will be entering school in the autumn and they will leave unprotected from a cancer that's now avoidable."

She said there is also disappointment that there was no decision on a catchup programme.

Anna Szarewski, from the Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry, said: "This is a great step forward for women's health."

Dr Lesley Walker, of Cancer Research UK, said there is no evidence that the vaccine, which is given as three doses over six months, encourages promiscuity.

She added: "Although mothers do have concerns over any potential side effects, only a minority are concerned that it might encourage promiscuity."

However, some campaigners insist the jab will encourage promiscuity among underage girls.

Stephen Green, of Christian Voice, said girls would assume they were protected against other sexually-transmitted conditions such as chlamydia, and that could make them infertile.

"I expect school health outreach workers from primary care trusts and the like will be giving Gardasil to girls behind their parents' backs," he said.

"Since the vaccine works best before the onset of sexual activity, they will be treating these girls, to put it bluntly, like tarts, saying they are lacking in self-respect and the basic morality required to keep their virginity.

"The message is one of despair, disrespect and low expectations."