Cervical Cancer Screening

Paul Burstow Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2014 Commons Chamber

[Paul Burstow (Sutton and Cheam) (LD)]

I will stick to your injunction, Madam Deputy Speaker.

I welcome this debate and recognise the tragic circumstances that have made it necessary. I watched Sophie’s mum on “Good Morning Britain” this morning. I saw the courage the hon. Member for Wirral South (Alison McGovern) described and the dignity with which she advanced the case for what needs to happen. The story Sophie’s mum tells of her fantastic daughter strikes a chord with Members across the House. Indeed, I am speaking in this debate because of my constituents, John and Barbara Welch. They came to my surgery because they were moved by this case and by the experience of their niece in a previous situation.

I agree entirely with the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Steve Rotheram) that we have to base decisions on cervical screening, and on all screening programmes, on the evidence. It is the evidence that will provide at least some pause for thought, not for Members but for the committee that advises Ministers on screening. I want to touch on that issue; hon. Friends may elaborate on it.

The original decision to change the age restrictions on the general call-up for cervical screening was taken in 2003. The 20-to-24 age group was excluded at that point. That decision was reaffirmed in 2009 by the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening when it reviewed the matter. The argument at the time was that it would have led to unacceptable numbers of premature births compared to lives saved, and that it would cause women anxiety. Those are very important considerations and one can understand why the committee made its original decision on the basis of evidence from research. My point to the Minister is this: since 2009 the evidence has changed, or appears to have changed, so I hope that the advisory committee will look at it again.

In 2012, a study published in the British Medical Journal, which I understand was the largest of its kind conducted in the UK, appears—I stress the word appears—to contradict the earlier findings of smaller studies. It concluded that treatment for cervical disease does not appear to increase the risk of premature birth. The hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton touched on this point. Furthermore, the same research found that, since the change in the age at which people begin to be called for screening, the number of women diagnosed with advanced-stage cervical cancer at the age of 25 has tripled. The early-stage numbers have quadrupled. I stress that we are still talking about a rare set of circumstances and small numbers, but small numbers do not, in the end, absolve us from looking at the individuals who then find themselves with this terrible disease.

Will the Minister ask the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening to review the 2012 evidence? The evidence was produced from a study by one of the leading professionals in the area, who was also responsible for the earlier studies that led to the opposite decision. Will the Minister look at why the 2010 guidance referred to by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton, which should have ensured that GPs made the right decisions on symptoms to allow smear tests to take place, does not appear to have had its full intended effect? The number of women diagnosed under the age of 25 apparently continues to fall, while the number of women over 25 continues to rise. There is, therefore, something going on. I hope we can ask the experts to advise us and look at what the research is telling us, so that we can make adjustments and ensure that the trend is reversed.

The hon. Gentleman talked about the goal which must be shared across the House and in the wider community of cancer rightly no longer being seen as a death sentence. If we get early detection right and raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of any cancer, but particularly cervical cancer, we can make a difference to the lives of thousands of our fellow citizens. As a former Minister with responsibility for cancer, I know it is important to be guided by the evidence. I took the decision to commission a further review on breast cancer to ensure that we were satisfied that screening was not doing inadvertent harm. I hope that we can ensure that we are acting on the basis of the best evidence.

The Government’s work, which began at the beginning of this Administration, in introducing the Be Clear on Cancer campaign, is critical. Awareness is critical not just to raising public awareness, but to raising GP awareness. I hope the Minister will say more on the plans in relation to cervical cancer. I look forward to hearing what she has to say.

I would like to end by offering my condolences and sympathies to Sophie’s family. I hope that some good can come out of something so tragic.