Cancer (Reporting and Strategy) Bill
Friday, 13 November 2026
Contributions
Second Reading
Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)Liberal Democrat
I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time. At its heart, the Bill is about a simple principle: if the Government make commitments on cancer, Parliament and the public should be able to assess whether those commitments are being delivered. Cancer affects almost every family in this country. Nearly one in two people will receive a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime, and the number of cases continues to rise. More than 403,000 people are now diagnosed with cancer each year in the UK—that is around 1,100 diagnoses every day, or one person every 80 seconds. For those people and the families who support them, cancer policy is not an abstract debate; it is about whether diagnoses are made early enough, whether treatment starts quickly enough, whether people survive, and whether they can live well after cancer.
Emily Darlington (Milton Keynes Central) (Lab)Labour
I thank the hon. Member for bringing this important debate to the House. I want to emphasise his point that early diagnosis is so important when it comes to cancer. My mother-in-law got an early diagnosis and had 12 years of living, and living well, with cancer, yet my father-in-law got a late diagnosis and only had 12 weeks. Does the hon. Member agree that this absolutely states the importance of early diagnosis to deal with cancer and have a life while living with cancer?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right; early diagnosis is so important. I know that from my own experience. I went to see a doctor and he said, “Men cannot get breast cancer, so off you go. Come back if anything changes.” Seven or eight months later I went back and I saw a different GP. He sent me for a test straightaway. The test happened very quickly—I was very lucky—but unfortunately in those six or seven months the cancer had spread from my breast to my lymph glands. I ended up having to have two operations and radiotherapy and chemotherapy. If I had gotten an earlier diagnosis, I might not have had to go through all that. That is true for an awful lot of people. I was lucky that the second GP sent me for a test. If I had waited another six months, I would not be taking part in this debate. Accountability really matters. The national cancer plan contains important ambitions and commitments. The Government have committed to monitoring delivery through national oversight structures, including the National Cancer Board, and tackling progress against the plan’s objectives and performance measures. However, there is currently no clear commitment to publish a dedicated annual report to Parliament, no formal assessment of progress against every commitment within the plan, and no requirement to explain what action will be taken when progress falls behind schedule. My Bill addresses those gaps. It would require annual reporting to Parliament on progress in preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. It would require the Government to publish and maintain the strategy for improving cancer outcomes—nothing more, nothing radical; simply transparency, scrutiny and accountability. The Bill is supported by 64 cancer charities, with millions of supporters. Those 64 cancer charities have written to the Secretary of State urging her to support the Bill. Their message is clear: “The Bill is practical, proportionate and uncontroversial. It creates no new rights or entitlements but instead provides a clear means for reporting progress and maintaining focus on delivery.” The charities go on to say that it “represents an invaluable opportunity to underpin the ambitions of the national cancer plan and demonstrate a long-term commitment to improving outcomes for cancer patients.” When organisations representing patients, clinicians, researchers and families all speak with one voice, the House should listen. The need for greater accountability is informed by experience. We have learned that, without transparency and scrutiny, commitments made today can disappear tomorrow. Cancer patients deserve better than that. Many Members will remember the work undertaken in 2022 on the Conservatives’ proposed 10-year cancer plan, when their Secretary of State declared war on cancer. Thousands of people contributed to that process, including patients, charities, NHS staff and researchers. Then, less than a year later, following yet another change of Secretary of State, the plan was abandoned. Time, momentum and years of engagement were lost and hope was wasted. Many people affected by cancer were left wondering what had happened to the promises that had been made to them. We cannot allow that to happen again. People affected by cancer need confidence that commitments made today will survive the political changes of tomorrow. Perhaps this is a good point to remind the House that we have had seven Prime Ministers and nine Health Secretaries since 2015. This Bill would help provide that confidence.
Rosie Wrighting (Kettering) (Lab)Labour
Do you share my delight to see—
Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)Conservative
Order. Ms Wrighting, it is not “you”, which means me; it is “the hon. Member”.
Apologies, Madam Deputy Speaker. Does the hon. Member share my delight to see the former Minister who wrote the national cancer plan appointed as the national cancer plan adviser? That shows how seriously this Government take progress in this area.
The hon. Member for West Lancashire (Ashley Dalton) did a fantastic job in producing the national cancer plan, and I am pleased that she has been appointed to the National Cancer Board, but I still think the Government should support this Bill. I know that some people have questioned whether legislation is necessary, but I respectfully disagree. Action 21 of the national cancer plan already commits the Government to report on delivery. The Government already intend to monitor progress and track performance. This Bill does not create new bureaucracy, require extensive new structures or create significant additional work for civil servants. The Government already intend to collect the information; the Bill simply requires that the Secretary of State reports that information to Parliament, so that Members of this House can scrutinise progress on behalf of the people we represent. If the Government are confident in their plans and the delivery of those plans, why would they object to the transparency of reporting on that progress? Cancer affects every constituency in this country. It affects families in Wokingham just as it affects families across England. Those affected by cancer often feel that they do not have a voice. This Bill would give Parliament the opportunity to speak for them. I raised the Bill with the Prime Minister at Prime Minister’s questions on 21 October. In response, he told me that he would ask the National Cancer Board to consider the accountability and reporting measures contained within the legislation. I welcomed that response, but we have heard nothing from the National Cancer Board. The Prime Minister has also said: “I’ve always been somebody who puts my shoulder behind the fight against cancer”. A few weeks ago, he sat down on “Gogglebox” to support cancer patients. Today was an opportunity for him to stand up for cancer patients and support my Bill. This legislation provides an opportunity to demonstrate that commitment in practice. There is another important reason why accountability matters: the national cancer plan is the first cancer plan to contain a dedicated chapter on children and young people’s cancer. That is a really important step forward, but progress must be measured if those commitments are to endure. The plan recognises that its wider ambitions will only be achieved if meaningful progress is made for children and young people with cancer, yet teenagers and young adults are too often hidden within broader datasets, despite facing distinct challenges around diagnosis, treatment, long-term side effects and psychological support.
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is launching an inquiry on the fact that many younger people are now being diagnosed with cancer? Does he welcome that inquiry? It will help us to understand more clearly why so many younger people are now experiencing cancer.
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.
Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)Labour
I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s highlighting of the need to reduce waits for treatment and note his personal comments about his treatment. I also welcome his focus on the reporting of cancer treatment data. Does he agree that the national cancer plan will greatly assist us in improving our understanding of reporting, and that we should work together across the House to ensure that we get the resources needed to implement the plan in full?
Thank you very much for your intervention.
Order. Mr Jones, you are speaking through the Chair. If Back Benchers make eye contact with the Chair, they will know that they are speaking through the Chair. When you say “you” and “your”, you are speaking to me—but, obviously, you are responding to another Member in the Chamber. It is best to remember that. The floor is yours, Mr Jones.
Thank you very much, Madam Deputy Speaker. The national cancer plan does contain a plan for regular reporting, but the Bill would make reporting happen every year. It would make this Government and future Governments report yearly. That is very important. Annual reporting is absolutely essential if we are to understand whether ambition is being realised. It will help us to identify where performance is improving, where it is falling behind and where action is needed.
Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD)Liberal Democrat
My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech, which is bringing out some of the emotional impacts of cancer, but does he agree that there is also an economic argument to be made? If people are diagnosed and get treatment more quickly, they are more likely to be able to return to the workplace more quickly. We sometimes debate issues such as welfare in this Chamber, but surely getting things right in the NHS as quickly as possible has a wider economic benefit, too. All hon. Members should welcome that.
My hon. Friend is absolutely right that earlier intervention helps people to get back into the workforce faster. It helps families get back into the workforce faster as well, because people want to take time off to help loved ones going through cancer treatment. The Bill does not ask the Government to adopt a new cancer strategy. It does not seek to score party political points, or impose unrealistic obligations on Ministers or officials. It simply asks that Parliament and the people we represent are given a clear account of progress against the commitments that the Government have already made. The Bill is uncontroversial, and the Government have not given any reasons why it should not be supported. The charities support the Bill, patients support the Bill, and I hope that Members across the House will support the Bill.
Mr Will Forster (Woking) (LD)Liberal Democrat
I thank my hon. Friend for introducing the Bill. He is right to highlight that it is supported by national charities across the board, including Walk the Walk, which is from Woking. It wants the national cancer strategy and the Government to lower the age for breast screening from 50 to 40. Does he agree that that would save lives? I hope that the Government and the Minister will agree to implement that as soon as possible.
I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning Walk the Walk, which is a most fantastic charity. I did a walk with it this year, and there is another walk on 15 May next year—perhaps Members might want to join me on it. Before covid, that charity always had quite a number of MPs join in the walk; since covid, it has had hardly any. My hon. Friend’s point about reducing the age for screening is absolutely valid. In my view, rejecting this Bill would be a mistake—a mistake for the Prime Minister and for the Secretary of State. It would mean that the Prime Minister’s warm words are, sadly, just words. Cancer patients deserve more than promises; they deserve transparency, accountability, and confidence that commitments made today will be honoured tomorrow. I commend the Bill to the House.
Time is very tight, and I cannot set time limits. If colleagues speak for around five minutes, I will be able to squeeze in a few more Members.
Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)Labour
To start with a slight aside, it is fantastic to see my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Alison McGovern) on the Government Front Bench. Some of her comments this week on social media regarding the stories about violence against women and girls have been really moving for me, and they have been amazing leadership from her, so I thank her. Returning to the Bill, we should be in no doubt that the Government’s national cancer plan for England sets a genuinely ambitious vision—a vision to transform the lives of millions of patients and families affected by cancer. The Bill before us aims to turn that vision into reality, or at least help to do so. It has cancer patients at its heart, and would create a new era of transparency and accountability, ensuring that good intentions are matched with meaningful action and measurable progress. I thank the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) for presenting it. The Bill strongly supports the ambitions already set out in the national cancer plan. In particular, it reinforces action 14, which recognises that greater transparency drives improvement, and action 21, which commits the National Cancer Board to report annually on progress and carry out a comprehensive review every three years. I accept that as the hon. Member for Wokingham has already outlined, we do not need to put the plan on a statutory footing. I hope Labour remains in power for the remaining 10 years—or almost 10 years—of the cancer plan, but I worry that some other Government might not take that plan quite so seriously, which is why it is important that we consider a statutory requirement for reporting. However, this is not just about plans, targets or reporting mechanisms. As we have heard, the Bill is backed by 64 cancer charities. As Members of Parliament, many of us have attended those charities’ receptions, posed for photographs and heard about their remarkable work. Today, they are asking something more of us: to take a small but important step by supporting the Bill. I have to declare an interest, because I am wearing my Cancer Research UK tie; it was a gift to me, and I am very grateful for it. I also have to reflect that this week, I went to a Blood Cancer UK event, which was focused on raising money for trials that it is running. At that event, I met a young woman who is living with myeloma, and another young woman whose father died of myeloma last year. They are both fantastic people, and they want us to support the Bill. This year alone, around 400,000 people in the UK will hear the words, “You have cancer.” Behind every one of those diagnoses is a person—a mother, a father, a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter or a friend. Those 64 charities speak for those people; indeed, they speak for all of us, because statistically, one in two of us will receive a cancer diagnosis during our lifetime. Cancer touches every constituency, every community and almost every family in this country, and those charities do more than just speak for patients; together, they fund more cancer research than the Government. That is something we should always remember. They have put their expertise, their resources and their credibility behind this Bill, because they know it will help make a difference. At its heart, the Bill is a modest proposal. It does not ask for billions in new spending—at least, I hope not, Madam Deputy Speaker—and it does not create a vast new bureaucracy. It simply asks that we measure progress, report it honestly, and hold ourselves accountable for the outcomes that matter to patients. If we are serious about getting cancer back on track, about delivering on the ambitions of the national cancer plan—which I do not doubt that we are—and about improving outcomes for the millions of people affected by cancer, we should support the Bill. I understand some of the reservations people have, and I hope they can be explored further in the debate. If not, I hope the Bill will, at the very least, make it to Committee, because there is something in this. We should take seriously the fact that so many charities support the Bill.
The hon. Gentleman took four minutes and 50 seconds; colleagues will appreciate that.
Vikki Slade (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)Liberal Democrat
I will do my best to stick to that time, Madam Deputy Speaker. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) for introducing this Bill on behalf of all those in our communities who are living with cancer, like my dad Ray Walls, who has stage 4 metastasized prostate cancer but is refusing to let his prognosis reduce his approach to life, grabbing each day, and tiring us all out with his energy, sporting prowess and positivity. He is truly standing up to cancer. The Bill is also for those of us who are likely to be given the news that we have cancer. This impacts every family, and an annual report will ensure that it remains at the front of the minds of Ministers and civil servants, hold them to account to improve outcomes, and give hope to those who see improvements on the horizon but worry they will be denied access to treatments that buy them more time. I want to talk to the issue of survival rates, as mentioned in clause 1(2), and the work of the national cancer audits. Although I of course strongly welcome the strategy, and the expanded national cancer audits, there appears to be a gap in the stated aims in relation to emerging treatments that are available elsewhere in the world but are not being fast-tracked here. My constituents Nigel, Lara and Sandra are just three of the many who have been denied access to emerging treatments, despite in some cases having been given them on a limited basis in ongoing trials. I am talking about situations in which young parents or much-loved mothers are willing to accept the risks to their own health or capacity to manage their symptoms to give them more time with their families, and to help to make progress on a widely used cure for second or third-degree cancers, or those that are so rare that there are no active UK trials. Nigel has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and has explained to me that when the second-line chemotherapy stops working, he will have no UK options left. He explained to me that this summer the Food and Drug Administration in America approved for use a drug called daraxonrasib, but the projected timeline for UK approval is 2028. He said: “I will be dead by then.” He explained that his children are now looking at how they can raise funds to send their dad to America, and asked me why the UK cannot create a rapid pathway, with waivers signed by people willing to take the risk. After all, their alternative is certain death. Lara has an eye cancer that has led to tumours in her liver. Although the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recognises that there is a significant unmet need for patients, given that this is a typical presentation for her condition, patients can only access chemosat under special arrangements. Lara knows that our attempts to help her will probably come too late, but if we ensure that a plan must be published for progress across a range of rare cancers, research and survival rates, we can at least offer hope to those who come after her. Sandra and her family face the same issue. Her cancer has spread to her kidneys. The treatment enfortumab, which has been available in the US for years, was finally approved for NHS use this summer. Imagine the family’s joy, having spent thousands of pounds a week to keep her on the treatment for many, many months. But her daughter told me: “I am totally aghast that something finally available, which is potentially my mum’s last remaining option, is only available for first-line treatment despite having been successful on her third-line cancer.” The family are now considering selling the family home to fund treatment. This is just ridiculous. I urge the Minister to look at bringing in measures so that we can reassure our residents and families that progress is being monitored, and so they can see, year on year, the goal getting closer. May I send Nigel, Lara and Sandra my best wishes? I know that colleagues throughout the Chamber will have similar stories, and that the experience of my constituents is not unique. That is why it is so important to accept the need for a report every year that sets out metrics against the plan and details the investment in research. The Government have made a great start with the strategy, but without a mechanism to report on it annually, there is a risk of drift, and of a future Government deprioritising it or changing direction. I urge the Government to support the Bill.
If only we had a pharmacist in the Chamber who could help with pronunciations.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)Labour
Head and heart—that is what it is all about. My head says I should not be saying what I am going to say in a second, but my heart tells me that I absolutely can. If I could swear in the Chamber today, I know what I would tell cancer to do. If I could signpost to cancer from the Chamber with my hands, I know what message I would like to send. However, I will say it in a way that works for this place. Sometimes a guest will arrive uninvited. They will outstay their welcome and will not take the hint to leave. I say to that particular visitor, who turns up nowadays in almost one in two people’s lives: your departure is long overdue—we will find a way to kick you out, and I will make sure that the bloody locks are changed as well. In Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, we would say, “Cancer, you can do one.” Any legislation that will facilitate or enable an improvement in waiting times, late diagnosis and survival rates, and that will address the gaps between our least and most deprived communities, has to be taken seriously, and I thank the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) for championing the Bill. When this private Member’s Bill, which includes screening, research and preventive measures to improve survival rates, was listed for today, that was a call for me to be here on a Friday, when I would normally be at home in my constituency. Today is especially important to me, because although this Bill focuses on governance, statistics and annual reporting, I want to speak about Peter Robinson—a person, not a number. Peter, my best friend of 20 years, who I said goodbye to for the final time the week before last following his lengthy battle with bladder cancer, was a fiercely independent hero of mine with a thirst for life and a love of his family, especially his son Noah—and a weird love for S Club 7. If he was here now, he would talk to you, just as we did nearly every day over the last number of months. He would talk about regular surveillance and follow-ups, about the importance of symptoms and side-effect management, and about specialist nursing support for that particular cancer. He would talk about stoma care, lifestyle guidance around diet, help at home and work adjustments. I note that today’s Bill contains measures on accountability, but I have also looked at the Government’s work on cancer. I have reviewed the national cancer plan, which includes a structured governance reporting and clinical data framework to monitor the various measures that we are trying to introduce. Moreover, it also covers all the things that I discussed with Peter on a regular basis: treatment and clinical care, skills and training, and personalised bespoke cancer plans. I will push to make sure that the national cancer plan is implemented in full. I will take on board all the things around accountability that are mentioned in the plan as we go forward, but the national cancer plan goes further than just governance. I need to make sure that what we do works for everybody, so that every single person who hears that horrible, horrible message—it happens once every 85 seconds in England—will go on to make many more cherished memories. I say to Peter, my best Wakefield Trinity and Marvel-loving mate: I miss you, but every day I will fight in your memory to ensure that this Government do all that they must for everyone out there who has lost a Peter. I know that you will be with me all the way. Together, mate, we will reach for the stars.
Mr Pitcher, you have done a great service to your friend Peter.
Adam Thompson (Erewash) (Lab)Labour
I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher), who made an incredibly powerful speech. I also thank the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) for bringing forward this Bill, and recognise the very genuine concern for cancer patients and their families that sits behind his doing so. There are few issues that could unite our House more totally than the battle against cancer. Every one of us knows someone whose life has been impacted by this terrible disease, and we have just heard about my dear friend’s loss of his friend, Peter. For many families, a diagnosis, the uncertainty of waiting for results and the anxiety of waiting for treatment are among the most difficult moments that they will ever face. I think we can all agree that when someone receives that diagnosis, they deserve the best care that our NHS is able to provide. That person deserves to be able to get the diagnosis as early as they possibly can. Following their diagnosis, they deserve timely treatment and to know that everything possible is being done to give them the best chance of recovery. We can all wholeheartedly support those objectives. I recognise the importance of the issues raised by the hon. Member for Wokingham, particularly around transparency, accountability and tackling inequalities in health outcomes, but we must ask ourselves an important question: do we need this legislation to achieve those objectives? I am not sure that we necessarily do. The Government have already published their national cancer plan for England, a 10-year strategy setting out a clear direction for improving cancer outcomes, increasing earlier diagnosis and tackling the inequalities that exist in cancer care. It is a significant commitment, with the ambition of reducing the number of lives lost to cancer over the next decade.
Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)Labour
My hon. Friend is making a really important and powerful speech. Does he agree that the national cancer plan also takes the important step of acknowledging the specific actions needed around child cancer? I certainly know that a local charity of mine, Milly’s Smiles, has welcomed the steps in the national cancer plan, and the specific elements recognising the tailored and different approaches needed to support our children and young people and their families who face the awful news of a cancer diagnosis.
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.
Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham) (Lab)Labour
Everyone in the House agrees that cancer touches every family. I share the concerns that motivated the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) to introduce his Bill—we all want earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and better survival rates—but while I understand its intentions, I am not convinced that creating further statutory reporting requirements is the answer. Earlier this year, the Government published their national cancer plan, which is a comprehensive 10-year strategy to transform cancer outcomes. The ambition is that, by 2035, three in four people diagnosed with cancer will be cancer-free or living well beyond five years after diagnosis, helping to save an estimated 320,000 lives.
While that might be this Government’s intention, what about the next one or the one that might come after that? What if they do not want to take cancer seriously?
I thank the hon. Member for that intervention. The cancer plan should go forward with whoever comes next. I am sure that if the hon. Gentleman is still in this place, he we will be able again to promote a private Member’s Bill to have that plan changed. As the Member of Parliament for the City of Durham and someone who has personally experienced breast cancer, I cannot speak about cancer services without mentioning the deeply distressing breast surgery scandal at County Durham and Darlington NHS foundation trust. Independent reviews exposed serious failures in clinical oversight, governance and decision making. Women underwent unnecessary procedures, including mastectomies, while many others experienced avoidable harm. I have met a number of those women affected and worked closely with them. Their stories are heartbreaking, but their bravery is breathtaking. I pay particular tribute to the campaigners in the Pink Justice Network, whose motto is, “Alone we survive but together we thrive!” Their courage and determination has ensured that failures cannot be swept under the carpet. I want to formally recognise Amelia, Jackie, Nadeen and Rachel, who are some of the most tenacious women I have ever met. Their experiences remind us that cancer care is not simply about waiting times and treatment targets; it is about safety, dignity, accountability and, above all, listening to patients. The lessons from County Durham must never be forgotten. The women affected deserve answers, accountability and certainty that no other patient will experience what they have endured. We must also recognise the excellent support networks in Durham that have helped fill some of the gaps in diagnosis. In particular, I thank the Durham district prostate cancer group. Les and his team have organised prostate-specific antigen testing events, helping to identify men at risk of prostate cancer and ensuring that they are referred for further tests and support. They have literally saved lives, and I pay tribute to their work. Ultimately, the true test of any cancer strategy is not how many reports it produces but whether more people survive cancer, receive treatment sooner and have confidence in the care they receive. For those reasons, while I wholeheartedly support the objectives of improving cancer outcomes and transparency, I do not believe that the Bill is necessary, given the substantial cancer plan and our existing reporting commitments. I will therefore oppose the Bill, but I will continue to work with the hon. Member and the all-party parliamentary group on cancer as well as local patients, Ministers and campaigners to secure safer services, earlier diagnosis, faster treatment and better outcomes for people in Durham and across the country.
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)Conservative
I thank and commend the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) for bringing the Bill to the Floor of the House and for his powerful personal testimony. We have already heard, and I think we will hear more, personal testimonies from colleagues across the House. It was a particular privilege to be here for the speech of the hon. Member for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme (Lee Pitcher). About a month ago, the hon. Member for Wokingham and I were both at a breast cancer campaign event at which one of the themes was inequalities in breast cancer care, particularly among under-represented communities, secondary breast cancer patients and men. It was good to hear from him on that occasion. He draws on his experience to contribute effectively to raising awareness about breast cancer in men and—as he is doing today—all cancers and the issues around them. There were a number of important initiatives under the last Government, including the use of community diagnostic centres; the introduction of the lung health screening programme, which subsequently expanded to become the national lung cancer screening programme; the major clinical trial, initiated with Prostate Cancer UK, on testing screening approaches for detecting prostate cancer; and the launch in February 2024 of the children and young people’s cancer taskforce. As the hon. Member for Erewash (Adam Thompson) says, few things can unite this House as strongly as the fight against cancer. When the national cancer plan was published in February 2026, the Opposition welcomed its aims to improve survival and outcomes.
Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)Labour
The shadow Minister and I share a university hospital. Although the targets are woefully out, does he agree that it is not because of the staff? Will he join me in thanking ward matrons Gavin Foley and Rachael Hunter, who do a fantastic job supporting our cancer patients?
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for the opportunity to express thanks and appreciation, as she has done. She is right that we happen to share a hospital, and it provides fantastic care for so many of my constituents. When the national cancer plan was published, the then shadow Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Stuart Andrew), raised questions about how its ambitions would be realised. He called for a “fully funded long-term workforce plan” alongside “clear, funded milestones showing how and when patients will see improvements”. —[ Official Report , 5 February 2026; Vol. 780, c. 455.] The focus needs to be on that plan. Yesterday, we saw the most recent performance statistics from the national health service. It was a difficult set of statistics overall, and cancer standards, by all three measures—the faster diagnosis standard, the 31-day treatment standard and the 62-day treatment standard—had deteriorated month on month. Cancer Research UK’s analysis shows a discrepancy in diagnosis time between those who are ultimately found to be clear of cancer and those who have cancer; it rightly calls for particular analysis of that point. Its analysis also shows that breast cancer referrals had the biggest drop in performance among those who went on to be diagnosed with cancer. The hon. Member for Wokingham is absolutely right that Ministers need to focus on the entire pathway, from risk factors such as smoking and obesity to waiting times, children and young people’s cancer screening, investment in research and key metrics around earlier diagnosis. The key thing, as I know he agrees, is to get all those things done and to make real progress. Time is short, Madam Deputy Speaker, and we need to hear from the Minister about how she can reassure the hon. Gentleman and the House on those points. I hope that she will also update us on the long-awaited health workforce plan, which underpins so many aspects of the NHS. I commend the hon. Gentleman for all he has done and is doing, and for bringing the matter before the House today.
The Minister for Social Care and Mental Health (Alison McGovern)Labour
I congratulate the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones) on introducing the Bill. I was 12 when my dad was first diagnosed with cancer; I was 29, and standing for election to this House for the first time, when he had his most recent major cancer treatment; and, as the House knows, my mum died of cancer in July after a painful period of serious illness, at the age of 73, so I like to think that when it comes to experience of this disease, I am no ignoramus. We have heard from colleagues just how important this issue is to all of us in the House. I know that colleagues across the House will welcome the progress that we have made, just as they have welcomed the Government’s cancer plan. Around 290,000 more people over the last 12 months have had cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days. The number of patients who have received treatment within 62 days of referral is up to 70% over the last 12 months, from 66%. But I am under no illusion about the work still to do and the urgency that patients rightly expect from this Government.
Olivia Bailey (Reading West and Mid Berkshire) (Lab)Labour
I associate myself with the Minister’s thanks to my near neighbour, the hon. Member for Wokingham (Clive Jones), who has done important work campaigning on cancer—I thank him for it. I also think a key part of our fight against cancer is those who fundraise for cancer research. Will my hon. Friend congratulate my constituent Stephen, who is in the Gallery today, on raising £1,600 walking 26 miles in the London Shine Night Walk for cancer research?
I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. Of course, fundraising is really important, and I offer my thanks to Stephen. I hope he has enjoyed the debate so far. He has done a great thing. I have paid close attention to what the hon. Member for Wokingham said today. Colleagues on all sides are listening with sympathetic ears. All of us want our constituents to have earlier cancer diagnosis and better treatment, and to improve patient experience, ensuring that the progress we are making in the NHS is, as he points out it should be, transparent and accountable. While I share his ambition, I am sorry to say that the Government are unable to support his Bill, because we do not think that its provisions are necessary. Ultimately, the hon. Gentleman’s Bill rests on two principles: that there should be a clear national strategy for improving cancer outcomes; and that the Government should be transparent about the progress we are making.
Will the Minister arrange for me and the charities who support the Bill to see the Minister who will be responsible for the national cancer plan, so we can work together to ensure there is proper parliamentary scrutiny?
I feel sure that the Minister responsible for this area of policy will arrange such meetings. I will make available to him a copy of this debate so he can read for himself how important it is. I would say in a supportive way to the hon. Gentleman that we now have a cancer strategy that will improve outcomes over the next 10 years. I hope colleagues will also recognise that we have been unflinchingly honest about the scale of the challenge we face. We will always do so. We cannot sugarcoat the current situation, even while we all want to offer our constituents some hope. We have a 10-year national cancer plan to make England a world leader in cancer outcomes. It is very important that it succeeds. It is a plan that sets out more than 100 actions to improve cancer survival, increase earlier diagnosis, recover performance against waiting time standards, and improve the quality of life for people living with and beyond cancer. We published the plan in February this year and, starting on its first anniversary, we will publish an annual report that will measure our progress against each of these targets every year. It will be freely available online and accessible to all. At the end of three years, we will also publish a complete and honest account of what we have got right and where we need to go further. When it comes to improving the plan, no options are off the table. I want to express my sincere thanks to our friend, my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Ashley Dalton). I am delighted that she has agreed to rejoin us as an adviser on the national cancer plan’s implementation. She knows how important it is that we get this right and she has already done some pretty inspirational work on the first draft of the plan. But I know she would be the first say that wherever the plan is falling short we should and we will improve it. It is not a question of creating new legislation or statutory requirements when we have a cancer plan; our priority should be to crack on with the job. While we get on with that job, I welcome scrutiny from the hon. Member for Wokingham and from all other Members in this place as they rightly hold the Government to account. Accountability is already being built into the way we deliver the plan. For example, in September we followed through on a commitment to establish a new National Cancer Board, bringing together leaders from across the cancer community, to set strategic direction, give independent challenge and make sure we are keeping up momentum towards our goals. A few weeks ago, the hon. Member for Wokingham asked the Prime Minister to look at this proposal, and his suggestion was shared with the National Cancer Board. I can update the House that the board has now provided its views to Ministers, and those views have helped shape the Government’s position today. As I have said, the board deliberately brings together people with different roles and different perspectives. We would not expect every member to agree on this issue. Some members have noted support for the Bill and its ambitions to put cancer strategy and reporting on a statutory footing, while others have concerns and worry that creating a parallel statutory framework could duplicate the national cancer plan, cause confusion for patients and the public and create additional reporting requirements without necessarily improving delivery. Board members, however, share a clear expectation that reporting on the national cancer plan must provide a transparent account of progress, including where delivery is off track and, importantly, what action is being taken to get it back on track.
Will the Minister give way?
Very briefly.
I thank the Minister for taking the intervention. On that note, will she look at the issues with recruiting cancer specialists, particularly in coastal towns and cities such as Portsmouth?
As the hon. Lady says, recruitment is very important—I am sure that the Minister with responsibility for the plan will look at that issue. Our commitment to publishing an annual report on progress against the national cancer plan is intended to deliver these insights into where the plan is off track, and to spur action to address any problems. The hon. Member for Wokingham has recognised that commitment, but I understand that he is worried that a future Government might choose to stop these annual reports. Even if today’s Bill is passed, a future Government, if they were intent on ceasing annual reports, could undo what the hon. Gentleman’s Bill seeks to do with a simple vote, just as commitments made in legislation on child poverty were undone. However, we have listened carefully to the wider point that the hon. Gentleman is making about accountability. Following the views of the National Cancer Board, we are strengthening our approach further. We have taken on board suggestions from Macmillan and Cancer52 that the annual national cancer plan progress report should not simply be published, but laid before Parliament and accompanied by an oral statement from the Secretary of State. We will make that further commitment, which I hope reassures the hon. Gentleman that we share his determination to ensure that Parliament can scrutinise our progress and hold us to account. The national cancer plan was written by a collective of people who care about this issue, and it takes action across the whole pathway. We are supporting the NHS to transform diagnostic services with £1.65 billion-worth of spending, including through new surgical hubs and state-of-the-art diagnostic scanners. Just last week, we announced that a world-leading new cancer blood test trial is being launched across at least 200 GP practices in England. We have invested £70 million into new cutting-edge radiotherapy machines, and exciting progress has been made on research with the cancer vaccines launchpad, which has now been expanded to support eight clinical trials. If I may test your patience, Madam Deputy Speaker, I also congratulate the world-leading research that is done at the Clatterbridge cancer centre in Liverpool, which is very close to my heart. We are also delivering commitments to improve quality and consistency of care. The Royal College of Physicians and Macmillan Cancer Support have recently published what is called a clinical consensus statement on acute and supportive oncology, establishing a common framework for service development. We are developing a new generation of cancer manuals and treatment. I could go on, but I just want to mention that, for children and young people with cancer, the Government are committing up £10 million a year to a new fund to help with the cost of travelling to and from principal treatment centres, for reasons that will be obvious to Members. We are giving rarer cancers the dedicated attention and leadership that they deserve. We have appointed Dr Robert Metcalf as the national clinical lead for rare cancers, giving patients a powerful voice and clinical leadership. This work also includes renewing our focus on brain cancer. Last month, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary met Archie Goodburn to discuss new action that we are taking on brain cancer. We will appoint a new national brain tumour clinical lead in the coming months. This subject is of great importance to us all, and I therefore thank the hon. Member for Wokingham for bringing his Bill forward, and for the very constructive way in which he and his colleagues have approached the matter. I hope he can see that he has impacted the decisions that the Government have made. It is not the Government’s view that we need further legislation, but it is our view that we must work collectively to do much better with independent checks to improve treatment outcomes and to help people live better with cancer.
Ordered, That the debate be now adjourned. —(Laurence Turner.)
D ebate to be resumed on Friday 5 February 2027.
Source: UK Parliament Hansard API. Debate ID: 5437015.