Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the backlog in people waiting for (a) colonoscopy, (b) flexi sigmoidoscopy and (c) other diagnostic tests for bowel cancer.

In October the NHS issued £150 million in capital funding for investments in diagnostic equipment. Over £100 million of this has been allocated for endoscopy equipment, this will expand capacity to help to reduce the current waiting list.

Additionally, guidance published in June, has enabled endoscopy teams to use Faecal Immunochemical Testing to identify patients with the highest risk of bowel cancer so they can be prioritised for urgent colonoscopy.