Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to roll-out the Bowel Cancer screening programme using the faecal immunochemical home test for people aged 50 years and over.

In August 2018 Ministers agreed to the United Kingdom National Screening Committee’s recommendation to offer bowel cancer screening in England at the earlier age of 50.

NHS England is committed to the implementation of the Faecal Immunochemical Test, to individuals aged 60 at the threshold of 120ug/g, within the National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and, as set out by the Prime Minister in her speech on 3 October 2018, is now considering how to transition towards lowering the screening age as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.