Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to introduce an epigenetics-based test for cervical cancer on the NHS.

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has not reviewed the evidence for an epigenetics-based test within the cervical screening programme.

It is important that any screening test introduced into a screening programme is based on robust published peer reviewed evidence demonstrating more good than harm. A change to the main screen test such as using epigenetics-based testing would be considered as a major programme modification to the cervical screening programme.

Submissions to the UK NSC to consider a programme modification can be submitted throughout the year with more information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process

NHS England is currently working to implement primary human papillomavirus screening in England.