Adam Thompson

I certainly agree with my hon. Friend—she makes a profoundly important point. The national cancer plan is a significant commitment, with the ambition of reducing the number of lives lost to cancer over the next decade. Importantly, the Department of Health and Social Care has already committed to publishing an annual report on progress against the plan, including key metrics and targets. The Government are not simply setting out ambitions; they are committing to measure progress, report on that progress and remain transparent about the improvements being delivered. This Bill would introduce additional statutory requirements for annual reporting and a 10-year cancer strategy. We already have that 10-year strategy, we already have commitments to report on progress and we already have a framework through which Parliament can scrutinise the Government’s performance. I do not believe that passing additional legislation that overlaps with these existing commitments is necessarily the best way to deliver better outcomes for our constituents. That distinction matters, because legislation, however well intentioned, is not an end in itself. The real end is whether that legislation would improve the lives of people who are suffering from cancer and who rely on our NHS. We need to be honest about what patients really want. They want to know that they will be seen quickly. They want to know that when cancer is diagnosed, treatment will follow promptly, without endless waits or unnecessary delays. They want to know that the NHS will be there for them when they need it the most. That is what matters to patients and their families. We should be concentrating on implementing the national cancer plan, strengthening the NHS’s ability to deliver cancer care, and ensuring that the improvements we have committed to actually reach patients. That means supporting earlier diagnosis, improving access to screening, investing in research, and ensuring that patients receive the treatment that they need as quickly as possible. Ultimately, we will not be judged on how many strategies we publish or how many reporting requirements we introduce. We will be judged on whether people receive their diagnosis earlier, whether they receive treatment faster, whether inequalities are reduced and whether more people survive cancer. That is the Government’s responsibility, and that is why I believe we should focus on delivering the commitment we have already made, rather than introducing additional legislation to achieve what we have already started to work towards. For those reasons, while I recognise, respect and support the intentions of the hon. Member for Wokingham, I cannot support the Bill itself.