The Department of Health welcomes the report on the Evaluation of the UK Colorectal Screening Pilot

"We welcome this report on the first phase of this pilot; the results are encouraging and show that FOB testing can work in an NHS setting. The FOB testing pilot has already been extended for another two years at a cost of £1 million per year. So far only a single round of screening has been carried out and it will be valuable to assess both the uptake and the findings from a second round of screening.

"The NHS Cancer Plan made a commitment to extend screening programmes where it is clear that these will save lives. The Government reaffirmed it's commitment to a national bowel cancer screening programme in November 2002."

"A screening working group has been set up as part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Programme Advisory Group and will be meeting in September. This group will also consider flexible sigmoidoscopy, another promising method of screening for bowel cancer which is being evaluated in a large UK based clinical trial. This trial has shown promising early results and longer term evaluation is awaited."

"The work around screening forms part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Programme - launched in February - which also aims to streamline bowel cancer services for people with symptoms, and improve treatment techniques. This work is being underpinned by a large expansion and modernisation of the workforce and a communications strategy for the general public and professionals."