HC Deb 25 February 2002 vol 380 cc988-9W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if guidance based on the report on liquid-based cytology will be available by May; and if he will make a statement; [34091]

(2) what (a) plans he has made and (b) budgets he has put in place in advance of the NICE decision on liquid-based cytology. [34090]

Ms Blears

The evaluation report of the liquid based cytology arm of the pilot will now be available in the autumn, once the full clinical record of each woman in the pilot has been received for the purposes of the evaluation. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) will begin the reappraisal of liquid-based cytology techniques once the evaluation report has been received. The pilot will inform the planning and resource requirements needed for liquid-based cytology if NICE recommends its introduction.