Cancer (Reporting and Strategy) Bill

Clive Jones Excerpts

Friday 13th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)]

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)]

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?

[Clive Jones]

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)]

Do you share my delight to see—

[Rosie Wrighting]

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.

[Clive Jones]

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.

[Emily Darlington]

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.

[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.

[Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)]

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?

[Clive Jones]

Thank you very much for your intervention.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

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.

[Clive 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)]

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.

[Clive Jones]

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)]

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.

[Clive Jones]

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.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

--- Later in debate ---

[Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham) (Lab)]

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.

[Clive Jones]

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?

[Mary Kelly Foy]

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.

--- Later in debate ---

[Alison McGovern]

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.

[Clive Jones]

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?

[Alison McGovern]

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.