Clive Jones

Yes, I absolutely welcome the Committee looking at that. Without transparent reporting and meaningful age-specific data, it becomes difficult to understand whether outcomes for younger patients are improving and where inequalities persist, and whether policy interventions are working. Annual reporting can help ensure that children and young people are not overlooked in future strategies, and that progress continues to be monitored for that important patient group. Data should be broken down by age, including for teenagers and young adults. Stronger accountability is particularly important because current progress is not where it needs to be. Recent analysis by Cancer Research UK paints a concerning picture. The charity estimates that nearly 1.1 million people will need cancer treatment following an urgent referral between March 2026 and March 2029, yet current trends suggest that the Government’s commitment that 85% of patients will begin treatment within 62 days by March 2029, may not be achieved on time. Indeed, Cancer Research UK estimates that almost 47,000 additional patients would need to start treatment within 62 days in order to meet the target. Those figures should concern all of us. Waiting for cancer treatment is not simply a matter of statistics—it is weeks of uncertainty, weeks of fear and weeks of wondering whether the cancer is progressing, while patients and families wait for answers. All of that can be extremely stressful for patients and families, as I know from my own experience when I was diagnosed with breast cancer 18 years ago. Cancer Research UK’s analysis suggests that the Government still have an opportunity to get performance back on track, but only if there is the same focus and sufficient resource directed towards cancer services. The next spending review will be an important opportunity to demonstrate that commitment. The reality is that accountability drives delivery. What gets measured gets managed, what gets reported gets discussed and what gets discussed is more likely to improve. There is also a broader challenge. More people than ever are surviving cancer or living with cancer, which is something for us all to celebrate. The Government’s ambition is that, by 2035, three quarters of people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer free or living well with cancer five years after their diagnosis. That is a fantastic ambition, but achieving it will require sustained progress across the entire cancer pathway, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment, recovery and long-term support.