§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to introduce a comprehensive scheme of screening for breast cancer among women aged below 50 years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GristThe breast screening programming which is currently being planned for Wales will be aimed at women aged 50 to 64. This is in accordance with the advice of a working group chaired by Professor Sir Patrick Forest, which concluded that the effectiveness of screening has so far been demonstrated only for women aged 50 and over. There are accordingly no plans at present to introduce breast screening for women below this age.
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§ Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Wales how the existing laboratories for the testing of cervical cancer are distributed in Wales.
§ Mr. GristThe distribution of existing NHS laboratories used for cervical cytology in Wales is as follows:
District health authority Hospital Clwyd Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Ysbyty Wrecsam Maelor East Dyfed Bronglais West Wales General Llanelli General Gwent Royal Gwent Nevili Hall Gwynedd Ysbyty Gwynedd Mid Glamorgan Princess of Wales East Glamorgan Prince Charles St. Davids South Glamorgan St. Davids West Glamorgan Morriston Singleton Neath Cervical smears taken in Pembrokeshire and Powys are tested in laboratories in neighbouring district health authorities.