HC Deb 11 February 1994 vol 237 c549W
Ms Primarolo

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what features of the structure of the health service between England and Wales underlie the different availability of information regarding the percentage of women screened for breast cancer in the last three years between the two countries.

Mr. Sackville

Statistical information relating to the performance of the breast screening programme in England is collected annually by the Department of Health from each of 87 local screening programmes. This information is submitted as a standard statistical return.

In Wales, the screening programme is provided from only three screening centres, due to the much smaller population. Each of these screening centres is part of a single organisation, Breast Test Wales. This enables the Welsh Office to acquire information more easily on all aspects of the programme. Breast Test Wales also provides annual statistical returns identical to those used in England.