Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the availability of bowel cancer screening for people under the age of 30.

No assessment has been made regarding availability of bowel cancer screening for people under the age of 30. Bowel screening is offered to men and women aged 60-74 years old with an average risk of developing the condition. High risk screening falls outside the United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) remit; which is to offer whole population screening to asymptomatic people.

Individuals with symptoms or those considered to be high risk should speak to their general practitioner.

The UK NSC has an open process by which stakeholders and/or members of the public may submit a proposal to the Committee, providing robust peer reviewed evidence to support a change to an existing programme. This would include a modification such as a change to the screening age. Submissions relating to existing programmes are accepted throughout the year. More information about the UK NSC’s process is available on its website.