§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, having regard to the fact that over 46 per cent. of area health authorities provide foetal neural tube detection, he will seek powers 166W to require health authorities to provide such diagnostic expertise so as to eliminate foetal neurological damage.
§ Dr. VaughanThe decision to introduce a screening programme is for the individual health authority concerned. Although a number of health authorities do not screen all pregnant women routinely for neural tube defects, I expect all authorities to have the facilities and expertise available for the appropriate diagnostic tests to be performed in individual cases where this is judged to be necessary by the doctor in charge.