Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take through the (a) NHS 10 Year Plan and (b) National Cancer Plan to increase levels of participation in NHS cancer screening programmes for (i) cervical, (ii) bowel, and (iii) breast cancer.

The National Health Service continues to prioritise improving cancer screening uptake. Early diagnosis is a key focus of the National Cancer Plan, which will build on the three shifts in care set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, including from sickness to prevention, to diagnose cancers earlier. Through the 10-Year Health Plan, the NHS will reach patients earlier, to catch illness before it spreads, and to prevent it in the first place.

Furthermore, in March 2025, NHS England published its Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England, setting out how the NHS will improve equitable uptake and coverage across cervical screening to meet the goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040. Further information on the Cervical cancer elimination plan by 2040 – plan for England is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/cervical-cancer-elimination-by-2040-plan-for-england/

From January 2026, screening providers in the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England will be able to offer human papillomavirus self-sampling kits to women if they have not attended their appointment for six months or more following routine invitation.

The NHS is also planning to publish a Breast Screening Programme Uptake Improvement Plan to help improve uptake and address inequalities. NHS England also launched the first ever national NHS Breast screening campaign to widespread media attention. It ran across television, radio, social media, and outdoor advertising during February and March 2025, targeting women of breast screening age, with a focus on those least likely to attend, including younger women, those in deprived areas, ethnic minorities, and disabled women.

The bowel cancer screening standards have recently been reviewed, with changes taking effect from 1 April 2025. This will update the achievable and acceptable thresholds for both uptake and coverage. To further increase coverage, NHS England is delivering new approaches to communicating with people about screening through the NHS App and improving the way eligible people are identified and invited for screening through the transformation of screening programme digital services.