Cervical cancer screening: Urgent Senedd debate called

All women in Wales are invited for smear tests from the age of 25

An urgent debate has been called in the Senedd over a move to extend routine cervical screenings in Wales from every three years to five years.

Public Health Wales (PHW) said those aged 25-49 who had not tested positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) would now wait two more years between tests.

PHW said it was because the screening tests are now more accurate.

However, 30,000 people signed a petition against it, citing the risk it could cause an increase in deaths.

Particularly concerned are those who have not received the HPV vaccine, a national immunisation programme for which began in 2008 for girls aged 12 to 13.

The number of signatures on the official petition on the Welsh Parliament's website was more than enough to trigger the issue to be looked at.

• What is the HPV vaccine and who can get it?

• HPV vaccine cutting cervical cancer by nearly 90%

• Third of under-30s snub smear tests

A separate petition on change.org gathered more than one million signatures.

At the petitions committee on Monday, chairman Jack Sargeant said: "These petitions have demonstrated a huge thirst for answers, and it is my intention to enable a debate now rather than wait. It is in everyone's interest that this issue is aired.

"It will give members [of the Senedd], the petitioner and Public Health Wales the chance to put their point of view across."

He added: "I understand people's concerns and their desire for answers and that is why I am stepping in to get answers."

The change follows a recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee.

Last week, Public Health Wales apologised for causing "concern" over how it explained changes to screenings following its announcement.