She was speaking following the publication of the Atherton Report and the Health Minister’s decision not to commission a statutory inquiry.

She has also submitted an urgent oral question calling him to the Assembly to explain this decision.

Ms McAllister has said: “When mistakes happen in public life, at a bare minimum it should be expected that those impacted get the truth about what happened and for someone to take accountability. This is the least these women and their families deserve and they've been failed here yet again.

“Implemented and further proposed changes to the screening programme are welcome, but we cannot expect the thousands of women who were impacted by this scandal – including the Ladies with Letters, who’ve been truly inspirational in their campaign for justice – to just draw a line under this and move on without proper closure.

“Both the Health Committee and the NI Assembly has previously agreed on the need for a public inquiry. Indeed, within Sir Frank Atherton’s own report, he has accepted that a statutory public inquiry would provide ‘greater assurance’ for those impacted, even if we would question why he would then go on to say an inquiry is apparently ‘not necessary’.

“When there is no accountability there is no learning. Alliance has submitted an urgent oral question calling on the Minister of Health to address the Assembly on this issue as soon as possible and explain his rationale for the decision not to establish a public inquiry.”

Michelle Guy MLA added: “This latest report will provide no comfort or closure for the women and families impacted by the cervical screening scandal, and my thoughts are with them today.

“There is no doubt of there being huge failures in governance and management, that is clear from the report, but for it to then go on and state that it is 'impossible to say either that harm has occurred to some women or that there has been no harm to any' will be deeply hurtful to those directly impacted.”