Written questions

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Commons · Question 85148 · Tabled 27 Oct 2025 · Department of Health and Social Care · Official record

Answered 12 Nov 2025

Question

Asked by Jim Shannon

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of lowering the age at which women are offered their first smear test.

Answer

Answered by Ashley Dalton, 12 Nov 2025

The cervical screening age in the United Kingdom was officially changed from 20 to 25 years old in 2003. This decision was made by the Advisory Committee on Cervical Cancer Screening which advised the NHS Cervical Screening Programme to raise the starting...