Oral Answers to Questions

John Baron Excerpts

Tuesday 25th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Burns]

I think that the right hon. Gentleman either did not hear my earlier remarks or had penned his question prior to hearing them. What I said was that waiting times are important to patients—and if he looks at the record tomorrow, he will see that. May I also explain to him that the average median time for the latest month available—November—shows patients completing a referral to treatment pathway in about 8.3 weeks? The right hon. Gentleman’s comments on A and E are just factually wrong and somewhat cheap.

[Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con)]

There are concerns that some of the expertise of cancer networks might be lost because of the funding gap between the end of the Government’s funding for the networks and the transition to full GP commissioning. Will the Government consider bridging this gap, at least until GP consortia are fully up and running—and therefore better able to make informed decisions about the commissioning of cancer network services?

[Mr Burns]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend in view of the considerable interest he takes and work he does in this field of health care. Let me reassure him that we have guaranteed the funding for next year, so it can work itself out to a successful conclusion thereafter through the cancer networks in the commissioning plans.