§ Phil SawfordTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have taken part in the chlamydia screening programme since it was launched. [161370]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe phased implementation of the national chlamydia screening programme began in April 2003. Our estimate is that over 23,000 tests have occurred during 2003. Establishing local programmes does take time and some areas have only recently started screening. We therefore expect numbers of tests carried out to rise considerably in 2004.