The MMR vaccination level in Scotland remains below 95%

For the third consecutive quarter, the take-up rate has risen and is now running at 87.6% of two-year-olds.

Despite the increase, the measles, mumps and rubella jab levels are below the 95% "herd immunity" level necessary to protect the population as a whole.

News of the rise comes as Glasgow faces its worst mumps outbreak for 20 years.

Greater Glasgow Health Board said that in recent months there had been 325 suspected cases, 89 of which had been confirmed by tests.

There would normally be just a handful of confirmed cases each year.

It is believed failing to reach the "herd immunity" level for mumps may be partly to blame.

Childhood autism

Health chiefs in Scotland have welcomed the rise in the triple vaccine figures which cover the last three months of 2003.

They are 1.2% higher than the previous quarter and nearly 3% higher than the near-record low recorded in the three months before that.

The MMR injection has been blamed by some critics for a rise in childhood autism.

But the link has been fiercely disputed and earlier this month 10 of the authors of a controversial research paper which sparked fears of a possible link issued a partial retraction.

Last month, medical journal The Lancet said it regretted publishing the study.

Critics say MMR is linked to childhood autism

The country's chief medical officer, Dr Mac Armstrong said: "Nine out of 10 parents in Scotland are choosing to immunise their children with this vaccine and in doing so providing vital protection against measles, mumps and rubella to them and the general population."

He said the figures showed the "significant efforts" being made by health professionals and parents in their commitment to the childhood immunisation programme.

Dr Armstrong said: "Immunisation in early childhood is the most effective, safest way to protect all children and the wider community, against the risks of serious infectious diseases.

"Postponing vaccination, or leaving children unvaccinated, poses risks not only to the child but to the whole community."

The vaccine figures also revealed that take-up rates for diphtheria and polio have remained at about 97% and the take-up of meningitis C immunisation is just below 95%.