§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how frequently in each district health authority area(a) women between the ages of 20 years and 35 years and (b) women over 35 years receive cervical smear tests.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe information is not available centrally, but a report by the National Audit Office in 1992 found that at 31 March 1991, 46 per cent. of districts in England recalled women every five years, 39 per cent. recalled every three years and the remaining 15 per cent. recalled different women at different intervals.
The central method of collecting information on the cervical screening programme is currently being revised, and it is intended that this information will be available from the financial year 1994–95.