Mr. Damien McCallion:

On HPV testing, there are two key things we need to move on in order to move to primary HPV screening. One relates to the selection of a partner to work with us. I mentioned earlier we had a pre-tender market engagement before Christmas. I told Deputy Durkan we had positive input from that because, obviously, one of our concerns was whether we would get a partner to work with us, which would have put the whole project at risk. We are more optimistic as a result of that and an advertisement will be placed in the next number of weeks.

A separate team is working full-time on all of the other aspects of this, for example, IT system changes, communications, education, development of materials for health professionals, laboratory reconfiguration, procurement and quality assurance standards for the new test. There are eight workstreams in total and they are all being progressed.

In regard to determining a date, when we get to a point where we are clear that we will select a partner and know the timescales in which it can work with us, that is the point when we will be able to give greater certainty in regard to a date to move that programme live.