National Cancer Plan 2026-02-05

Welcomes the national cancer plan but questions the Government on clear delivery milestones, funded timelines, accountability measures, investment in diagnostics and technology, radiotherapy capacity expansion including equipment replacement and workforce development.

We started delivery even before we had finished writing this plan; we have put £200 million directly into cancer via cancer alliances, recruited 2,500 more GPs, invested in radiotherapy machines and are rolling out lung cancer screening... We are delivering the biggest investment in hospices in a generation.

I welcome this plan and the efforts of my hon. Friend the Minister and right hon. Friend the Secretary of State... I will just raise one credit and one request to go a bit further.

I thank the Minister for advance sight of the statement... Will the Minister confirm that the plan’s annual summary of progress will be reported in the House for Members to scrutinise?

Supported action on UV prevention and under-age sunbed use. Promised to tackle dangerous sunbed use and promote preventive skincare in the sun. Highlighted prostate cancer drug abiraterone expansion for early treatment access.

Asked about encouraging PSA tests every year for men over 50, advocating for yearly general blood tests irrespective of national screening programmes to improve survival rates through early detection.

Highlighted the need for cancer treatment and care to fit around people’s lives, emphasising patient-centred approaches in personalized cancer treatment plans.

Asked about additional help to Mid and South Essex NHS trust to recruit staff and meet waiting time targets set by the Government for cancer care.

Emphasised the need for clinical academics in cancer trials, noting a crisis in recruitment, retention, and funding of clinical academics.

Discussed late-stage pancreatic cancer diagnosis and advocated for proactive early diagnosis measures such as annual screening for high-risk individuals to improve five-year survival rates.

Highlighted the importance of holistic care in cancer treatment and prevention, particularly focusing on public health interventions and resource allocation for low socioeconomic communities.

Welcomes the national cancer plan and highlights local innovations such as prehabilitation services. Asks for a visit to local services by the Minister.

Reaffirms commitment to the national cancer plan, supports local innovations, expresses willingness to visit local services, discusses breast cancer screening initiatives including BRAID and EDITH trials.

Promotes Walk the Walk charity for raising awareness of 'mannogram' testing and extending mammogram testing to under-40s and over-70s.

Acknowledges work on the national cancer plan, highlights best practices in Huddersfield for meeting cancer waiting times and training diagnostic radiographers.

Welcomes the plan and asks about minimally invasive cancer therapies to reduce postcode lottery issues.

Questions geographic differences in cancer treatment, highlights challenges faced by constituents due to multiple hospital trusts.

Asks about procurement strategy for medical radioisotopes and co-operation with the Welsh Government on Project ARTHUR.

Congratulates Minister, mentions successful campaign for travel fund for children and young people with cancer, seeks assurance to increase stem cell donation from ethnically diverse communities.

Acknowledges the plan but questions if additional funding is sufficient to meet workforce expansion needs and targets in the plan.

Pays tribute to cancer campaigners from his constituency, seeks assurance that resources will be put into communities to tackle health disparities and ensure equitable cancer care access.

Welcomes the plan, asks for reassurance on equitable national coverage despite poor hospital performance in rural areas compared to previous government's policies.

Welcomes the statement and plan, salutes the Minister’s bravery.

Constituents do not get a good deal: 47% meet radiotherapy target, 62% drugs, and 73% surgery. Combination of treatments crucial to survival; waiting six months for second treatment is poor. Minister should consider measuring secondary treatments.

Acknowledges the need for better metrics to improve outcomes. Confirms the national cancer plan will ensure an extra 320,000 people have their lives saved or are living well with cancer by the end of the plan.

Welcomes the national cancer plan and pays tribute to Auntie Hillary who passed away due to delayed diagnosis. Asks Minister to confirm that direction and investment will ensure hundreds of thousands more families celebrate all-clears.

Welcomes the national cancer plan, particularly on early diagnosis and ending postcode inequality. Concerned about limited funding impacting progress; asks Minister to ensure adequate funding is allocated and to engage with Cancer Research UK.

Commemorates his mother who died of lung cancer 17 years ago. Asks Minister about rolling out AI for faster diagnosis to prevent more families from losing loved ones to the disease.

Welcomes the national cancer plan and highlights disparity within constituencies in Birmingham Perry Barr. Asks what will be done about the 64 radiotherapy machines running over their lifespan, costing the NHS 87,000 appointments.

Commends Minister's focus on unacceptable variation in NHS performance against waiting times. Asks about the variation in waiting times by tumour site: 82% of skin cancers vs 58% gynaecological cancers treated within 62 days.

Thanks Minister for her announcement but highlights the lack of a cancer plan in Wales. Emphasises that without urgent action, inequalities and long waiting times will continue in Wales.

Highlights challenges faced by those living in towns or small cities like Carlisle regarding access to cancer treatment compared with big cities. Asks Minister how the plan combined with training doctors at Pears Cumbria School of Medicine will fix these inequalities.

Welcomes Minister’s statement, highlighting that cancer mortality is higher in Britain compared to other European countries. Asks what the plan does to bring Britain more in line with Europe so people do not need to go abroad for treatment.

Congratulates Minister on ambitious and needed cancer plan. Mentions meeting with Lorraine who lost her daughter Milly and set up a charity offering welcome packs to families arriving at hospitals across the country.

Congratulates Minister on excellent plan. Asks about improving survival rates for cancers with extremely low survival, such as acute myeloid leukaemia which has a 22% five-year survival rate.

Inquires about the role charities and voluntary organisations like Maggie’s will play alongside NHS in delivering improved care for cancer patients and their families.

Launched the national cancer plan, emphasising collaboration with charities and community organisations. The plan aims to increase early diagnoses by improving screening methods like FIT tests.

Expressed gratitude for the cancer plan and highlighted personal experience of losing a mother to bowel cancer in 1989. Encouraged early diagnosis and requested assurances on screening and early detection for bowel cancer.

Responded positively, stating that NHS bowel cancer screening has been extended to those aged 50 and will improve the sensitivity of the FIT test by 2028. This is expected to save almost 6,000 lives.

Expressed appreciation for the Minister's passion and acknowledged support for his Rare Cancers Bill. Inquired about recording rare cancers separately and the influence of the cancer board over plan delivery. Mentioned local organisation House of Hope led by Lisa Fleming.

Commended Dr Scott Arthur's work on the Rare Cancers Bill and confirmed that the plan includes a chapter on rare cancers with an appointed clinical lead to ensure proper counting and registration. Offered to visit House of Hope in Edinburgh.