Mr. RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the use of(a) ante and (b) neo-natal screening. [103652]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 21 December 1999]: Ante and neo-natal screening procedures can be vital in the detection of impending illness and onset of disease, where these allow for early and effective intervention. There are many screening procedures, some of which have the potential to build upon the current screening programme.
We look to the National Screening Committee for the United Kingdom to appraise screening programmes, current and proposed, against a set of internationally recognised criteria and to advise on additions or changes.