SCOTTISH Labour has urged the SNP Scottish government to save thousands of lives every year by matching England’s lung screening programme.

The UK National Screening Committee recommended screening for all those aged 55 and 74 with a history of smoking, but so far only England has begun to roll it out.

Cancer Research UK argue the policy could avert as many as 2,300 deaths in Scotland from the country’s most common cancer — lung cancer — if introduced, but the SNP Scottish government have yet to enact the policy, instead piloting it in just four of Scotland’s 14 health board areas. 

Scottish Labour’s Dame Jackie Baillie urged the SNP government to use its funding boost at the recent UK budget — worth £1.5 billion this year — and an additional £3.4bn from April to move faster.

She said: “Screening saves lives.

“While Scottish Labour welcomes this pilot scheme, the Scottish government must swiftly follow it up with a comprehensive screening programme that reaches those at the highest risk of the disease.

“Cancer patients cannot wait.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said it “welcomed the recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee.”