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Cervical Cancer Screening

It is a pleasure to follow the knowledgeable contribution from the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Martin Horwood). I want to thank my hon. Friends the Members for Liverpool, Walton (Steve Rotheram) and for Wirral South (Alison McGovern) for bringing this matter to the House today on behalf of the family of Sophie Jones, who did so much work to collect the many signatures that ensured that we had this debate. I pay tribute to them for reacting in that way, because it is incredibly important that people such as them do this work to raise awareness of the condition, and to ensure that we have the health services required for this form of cancer.

I am speaking in today’s debate because of my constituent, Suzanne Fernando, who lives in Ardrossan. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was pregnant, and describes herself as a survivor of cancer. She has campaigned tirelessly on the issue throughout my time as a Member of Parliament, and I have campaigned with her on many different aspects of the disease: ensuring that people use cervical cancer screening services and get smears; attending local schools with her and encouraging girls to get the HPV vaccination; and supporting her in her fundraising work. She was Scotland’s first campaigns ambassador for Cancer Research UK. She set up a cervical cancer support group in Ayrshire, which provides people with advice on the disease at any stage. We should pay tribute to all the women throughout the country who have experience of cervical cancer and who do everything they can to ensure that others do not go through what they have been through, that the condition is identified early and prevented and that people get the treatment to which they are entitled.

I listened carefully to the comments of my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral South about young women. Often, young women have the greatest contact with the health service when they have children. Many of us have been aware for generations how disempowering many women find that experience. It is incredibly important that the motion before us states clearly that when a woman asks to have a smear test, she should be entitled to have it. The case of Sophie Jones shows powerfully why that is important.

There are far wider issues, such as having a patient-centred service and actually listening to what people are saying—whether they are young or old, a woman or a man, and whatever ethnic or other background they come from—and ensuring that they are given access to the treatment they deserve.

Suzanne Fernando is taking part in cervical cancer awareness week, participating in a 5 km walk for fun at Eglinton Park in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, on 15 June. Of course, she is just one of the many women who are trying to raise awareness of this condition. I hope the message goes out clearly from this House today that we want the Government to do what is necessary to ensure that young women in particular are given access to the NHS facilities that they deserve, that we listen to what young women say, that we listen to what Sophie Jones’s family is saying and that we learn the lessons to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again.

1.49 pm