Written Question·Department of Health and Social Care·UIN 43050
Cervical Cancer: Northern Ireland
Tabled: 1 April 2025
Answered: 8 April 2025
Question
Jim Shannon
Democratic Unionist Party — Strangford
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he had with his Northern Ireland counterpart on lowering the smear age for women.
Answer
Ashley DaltonMy Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has had no conversations with his Northern Irish counterpart on lowering the age of cervical screening. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises the administrations of all four nations on aspects of screening, including age thresholds. However, the implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.