Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether private clinics will be used to carry out additional mammograms following the failure to invite women aged 68 to 71 to breast screening appointments; and if he will make a statement.

NHS England is taking major steps to put in place additional capacity of screening services to respond to the breast screening incident working with existing staff, including over evenings and weekends, and advise that they are also working closely with all local services and commissioners to ensure that they can co-ordinate any extra screening required across the programme.

NHS England has advised that private capacity will only be used if necessary and where it meets national standards.