Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what work they are undertaking with the devolved administrations to extend the commitment to eliminate cervical cancers in all parts of the UK.

NHS England has developed an implementation plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 and will work collaboratively with key partners including National Health Service regions, charities and third sector stakeholders, as well as learning from the approaches being taken across the devolved nations.

NHS England’s plan covers activity for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening pathways. To support increased access and uptake of the HPV vaccination to school aged children, NHS England continues to work with all key stakeholders at regional level to strengthen local initiatives and encourage innovative models to approach the robust delivery of school aged vaccinations.

An in-service evaluation is being commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Care Research to determine whether HPV self-sampling could be used to improve the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. Screening activity includes a review of the screening information materials, development of IT systems to give insights into behaviours, and a review of the colposcopy services.

Further work is planned to include a general practice opt-in option for trans men and non-binary people, pilot text reminders for all eligible patients, expanding access to a range of locations, and targeted upskilling of workforce.

Health is a devolved matter in Scotland and Wales and a transferred matter in Northern Ireland. While Department officials work closely with their counterparts in the devolved administrations, any decision on commitments on cervical cancer in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of the respective governments in each country.