§ Mr. Ronnie CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to introduce a comprehensive scheme of screening for breast cancer among women aged below 50 years in Northumberland.
§ Mrs. CurrieNo. The nationwide breast cancer screening service which we are introducing over the next three years is based on the conclusions in the report of a Government-appointed working group, chaired by Professor Sir Patrick Forrest. The report concluded that the effectiveness of screening by mammography has so far been demonstrated only for women aged 50 and over and recommended that the priority for any screening programme should be to offer an initial screen to as many women as possible aged 50 to 64 years.