Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for Health on 2 May 2018 on Breast Cancer Screening, Official Report, column 315 and the report entitled, The Independent Breast Screening Review 2018, published in December 2018, what the evidential basis was for his Department's estimate that 450,000 women were affected.
Answer
The figure of 450,000 was the best available estimate of the maximum number of women potentially affected from Public Health England’s analysis of the data provided at the time by NHS Digital. Further analysis of more complete data took place in May 2018 and as a result the written ministerial statement on 4 June 2018 provided a lower maximum figure.