§ Mr. CoakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the establishment of a national screening programme for prostate cancer; and if he will make a statement. [65820]
§ Mr. HuttonWe have received no such representations. In response to advice from the National Screening Committee (NSC), we advised the National Health Service in Executive Letter (97)12 that screening for prostate cancer should not be offered routinely, based on the existing evidence available. This remains the current policy. The NSC is actively keeping this question under review in the light of emerging evidence.