Fears about a link with autism have been expressed

The proportion of two-year-olds receiving the MMR injection was 86.4% in the three months to the end of September.

That compared to the near record low of 85.8% in the previous quarter.

The take-up rate has fallen amid fears among some parents of a link between the triple vaccine and autism but health officials have constantly stressed that those concerns are unfounded.

The executive will continue to work with health professionals to meet the information needs of parents who have questions around MMR Scottish Executive spokeswoman

The figures released by NHS Scotland's statistics division showed regional differences in take-up rates across Scotland.

The Scottish Executive has set a national target rate for two-year-olds of 95% for completion of key immunisation programmes, which includes MMR.

The highest take-up rates for MMR were in Dumfries and Galloway (91.2%) and Borders (88.9%).

In Greater Glasgow and Lothian the figures were 85.8% and 88.8% respectively.

The lowest take-up rate for the MMR vaccine was in Shetland, where it was 71.9%.

However, this was based on a small population of 57 children born between July and September 2001.

Single vaccines

A Scottish Executive spokeswoman said: "The longer term trend is that almost nine out of 10 parents are accepting MMR immunisation in order to protect their children from these three potentially serious diseases.

"The executive will continue to work with health professionals to meet the information needs of parents who have questions around MMR."

Tory health spokesman David Davidson said the uptake was still too low and urged ministers to listen to the concerns of parents who have asked for single vaccines.

He said: "At present, only those who can afford to pay for the single vaccine have the choice - that is wrong.