Written question asked by Hilary Benn (Labour) on Monday, 6 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 November 2000. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 13 November 2000 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list the health authorities that currently offer pregnant women screening for (a) Down's syndrome and (b) cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement. - Inc fact that information is not collected centrally. A Lancet paper surveying the provision and method of antenatal Down's syndrome screening (page 1264, Vol 154, 9 October, 1999), in Library.

Answer: Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities that currently offer pregnant women screening for (a) Down's syndrome and (b) cystic fibrosis; and if he will make a statement. [137375] Yvette Cooper: This information is not collected centrally. A Lancet paper surveying the provision and method of antenatal Down's syndrome screening (page 1264, Vol. 154, 9 October, 1999) is available in the Library. The United Kingdom National Screening Committee will build on this work to inform its implementation plans for a universal antenatal Down's syndrome screening programme. At present the Committee does not recommend universal antenatal screening for cystic fibrosis.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 356 c566W; 137375
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Congenital abnormalities Cystic fibrosis Diseases Down's syndrome Pregnancy Screening Antenatal care
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk