§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the recommendation from the Family Planning Association that women taking contraceptive pills should have a smear test every three years, if he will take steps to ensure that resources will be available for smear tests and for breast cancer screening.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeOur Department's policy on cervical screening is based on the advice of the committee 363W on gynaecological cytology. This is an independent committee of distinguished experts who advise us on the development of cervical cytology services. We have accepted the committee's advice, given after consideration of all the latest available data, that women who are taking or have taken oral contraceptives should have a smear test on starting them and thereafter every five years. This in keeping with the Committee's earlier advice on the frequency of screening, which my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Mr. Finsberg) reported to the House in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Withington (Mr. Silvester) on 26 October 1982 — [Vol. 29, c. 386.] This included recommendations for the rationalisation of screening of younger women, which would allow more screening of older women at higher risk, and this additional screening of contraceptive users, within existing resources.
Contrary to much popular belief, there is insufficient scientific evidence that mass screening will significantly reduce deaths from breast cancer, and the Government are therefore funding a major programme of research to determine the value of breast screening. Expert advice to us at the moment is that breast cancer screening is not indicated for women who are or were taking contraceptive pills, but that they are advised to examine their own breasts and report any abnormality to their doctors. Leaflets and advice are readily available to women explaining how to examine their own breasts for this purpose and we would certainly encourage all women to follow the practice.