Oral Answers to Questions

Guy Opperman Excerpts

Tuesday 10th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Burns]

The right hon. Gentleman says it is garbage. I think that is confusing from him, because I remind him that of course it was in the Labour party manifesto at the last general election to remove the private patient cap.

[Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con)]

12. What steps he has taken to implement a flexiscope bowel cancer screening test.

[The Minister of State, Department of Health (Paul Burstow)]

The IT system to support the pilots of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening is under development and local bowel screening programmes will be invited to become pilot sites shortly. We remain determined to deliver our cancer outcomes strategy commitment of 60% coverage across England by March 2015.

[Guy Opperman]

The Government rightly chose two out of the three pathfinder sites to be in the north-east, at South of Tyne and Tees. When will the date be given for local screening centres to be invited to bid to become pilot sites and have patients as a future part of that bowel cancer screening programme?