§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Paymaster General (1) what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to provide cervical cancer testing facilities at the place of work; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will seek information from the baking industry and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union about the agreement reached on provision of cervical cancer testing facilities at the place of work or for paid release for off-site testing.
§ Mr. TrippierThe provision of cervical cancer testing facilites is in general a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. I appreciate that the work place provides an excellent forum for carrying out activities, such as cervical cancer screening, aimed at preventing disease in the general population. The Health and Safety Commission encourages employers to use the work place for such preventative purposes and I fully support the commission in this.
Primarily, however, the provision of work place screening facilities is a matter for agreement between employers and their employees. I have seen the agreement reached recently within the National Joint Committee of the Baking Industry in England and Wales, on which the baking industry employers and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union are represented. I understand that this agreement provides for work place testing by the 534W National Health Service where this can be arranged. Where not, women employees are allowed full time off with pay to attend off-site testing centres. Other industries may wish to consider adopting schemes on these lines.