§ Sir David PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made any arrangements to monitor the effectiveness of the national screening programme for breast and cervical cancer, measured both in health terms and cost-effectiveness; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 21 February at columns241–42. We 16W are collecting information which will monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the computerised call and recall for breast and cervical screening programmes. As these are new programmes it will be a number of years before their effect in health terms or cost-effectiveness can be fully assessed.