To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the take-up of the NHS Vascular Checks programme for people aged between 40 and 74; and if he will make a statement. (312621)

The NHS Health Check programme is a Tier 3 Vital Sign in the NHS Operating Framework 2010-11. Consequently, strategic health authorities play a significant role in monitoring the roll-out of the programme locally. To support national understanding of the pace of implementation of the programme, data will be collected by the Department from 1 April 2010 on the number of people between the ages of 40 and 74 who have received an NHS Health Check. An NHS Health Check data set is also being developed which will enable the national health service to observe the progress of the programme in more detail.