According to the Sunday Times (front page of the 25 July edition), a national database containing confidential information about every child in Britain is to be set by the government.

This central electronic register will hold information on a child’s school achievements, GP and hospital visits, police and social service records, but also details about their families (parents divorced or separated).

The database should identify problem relatives, such as aunts or uncles with a history of alcoholism or drug misuse.

The decision to create a universal children database was approved by the ministerial commitee on children, young people and families last month.

The aim is to help social services and police to identify and protect children at risk of being abused or neglected.

And yesterday, The Independent reported about a scheme, considered by ministers, to vaccinate children against future drug.

Doctors would immunise children at risk of becoming smokers or drug users with an injection that would make drugs such as heroin and cocaine pointless to take.

Professor Nutt, head of psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol and a senior member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said: “People could be vaccinated against drugs at birth as you are against measles.”

Scientists are already testing drugs that can be used by doctors to vaccinate against cocaine, heroin and nicotine addiction.

However, proposals to introduce a national anti-drug vaccination programme have been given a cautious welcome by MPs and experts.