Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2014 to Question 218494, what the reasons were for the reduction in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13.

The reasons for the reduction in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13 may relate to a number of factors, including variations in data recording and changes in professional practice.

Latest available data for 2014-15 (April 2014 to December 2014) shows an increase of 5% in the number of flexible sigmoidoscopy tests carried out compared to the same period in 2013-14.