Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS screening programmes for the detection of gynaecological cancers linked to diethylstilbestrol exposure.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme is the only gynaecological screening programme offered by the National Health Service. On its own, it cannot provide comprehensive care to women exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero. This is why the NHS Cervical Screening Programme’s guidance advises that local arrangements should be made for the follow up of individuals who have been exposed to DES and who have the stigmata of DES exposure. This is usually via annual colposcopy. The management of abnormal cytology falls outside of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.