She is asking NHS Tayside what measures it is taking to increase attendance of young women.

In the latest year for which figures are available, almost half did not attend.

Official figures given to Ms Glen indicate that, in each of the past 10 years in Tayside, the age group 20-24 are the least likely by far of all age groups under 60 to have been screened in either the past five-and-a-half years or in the previous three-and-a-half years.

In addition, the numbers in the 20-24 age group being screened have fallen in the past decade to little over 50%.

Ms Glen said, “The screening programme has been so successful at detecting abnormalities that fewer women are now dying from cervical cancer, and so it has a lower public prevalence than other cancers. This does not mean the risk of developing cervical cancer has been eliminated.

“The HPV immunisation programme against cervical cancer introduced earlier this year for girls in the 12-13 age group can help to protect them from various forms of cervical cancers.

“By contrast, for young women, screening will continue to be their best safeguard against cervical cancer.”

The health authority said action in Tayside to improve uptake has included posters, press releases to newspapers, and radio interviews.

Evidence on why uptake of screenings is falling is being reviewed nationally, and action to tackle the reasons identified will be planned on a local level by the Tayside Cervical Screening Committee.

Dr Clare McKenzie, a consultant gynaecologist, said, “Nationally the numbers of women attending for cervical smears in Scotland has fallen slightly.

“This reduction has occurred in all age ranges, but most especially in young women. National research is being undertaken to look at the reasons for this fall.

“We need to encourage young women to attend for smears.”