HC Deb 16 January 1984 vol 52 c105W
Dr. Owen

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest estimates for the cost of: (a) a spina bifida blood test and (b) detecting one foetus with spina bifida.

Mr. John Patten

The latest reliable estimates were given in the evidence to the Social Services Committee on 17 January 1979—paragraph 10 onwards of Minutes of Evidence 97ii — since when there have been some changes in screening techniques and the scale of activity which may have altered unit costs.