Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to implement a national screening programme of children for exposure to lead (1) in general, or (2) in cases where there is a reason to suspect exposure; and what action they plan to take to identify and remove or seal off sources of lead contamination.

The Government is advised on all screening matters by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent scientific advisory committee which is made up of leading medical and screening experts. Where the committee is confident that there is robust evidence that demonstrates that to offer screening provides more good than harm, they recommend a screening programme.

The UK NSC made a recommendation not to screen children for lead poisoning in 2018. This is because:

- the number of children affected in the United Kingdom is currently not known;

- the test was not reliable enough; and

- treatments in children with mild symptoms have not been proven and may also be harmful.

In 2024 a proposal was submitted to the UK NSC via its open call, to review the decision made in 2018 for screening children for lead poisoning. The UK NSC is planning to undertake an evidence map, which is the first step in the evidence review process.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advises that exposure to lead should be as low as reasonably practicable. The UKHSA support partners in identifying the pathway and source of lead and advises on appropriate public health interventions to aid in reducing exposure. Interventions include interruption of lead exposure pathways by source identification and remediation or abatement, behavioural interventions, and consideration of whether others may be at risk of exposure. The UKHSA is also involved in raising awareness as many healthcare professionals are unaware that lead still poses a risk in the UK and elsewhere.

The remit of the UKHSA in relation to lead contamination is advisory and does not extend to undertaking any remedial measures.