§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to encourage women to have screening for breast cancer; what projects are currently being carried out to try and reduce death from breast cancer and to identify it at an early stage; how much has been spent on such projects; and what further resources he is planning to commit to breast cancer screening and research.
§ Sir George YoungI refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 6 November 1979.—[Vol. 973, c.164–65.] The trials started in 1979 and are expected to continue for eight years at a cost of approximately £600,000 per annum. The Medical Research Council is also undertaking research related to the trials amounting to a further £100,000 per annum and participating with charitable organisations in a substantial amount of further research on the treatment of breast cancer. I have no plans to commit further resources to research and further expenditure on screening will depend on the outcome of the trials.