National Cancer Plan

Terry Jermy Excerpts

Thursday 5th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ashley Dalton]

I commend the campaigning work of my hon. Friend’s constituents and say to them that their voices run through this plan; they have written this plan with their campaigning activity as much as we have. The James Cook university hospital in my hon. Friend’s constituency has had funding for two new LINAC machines—medical linear accelerators—which is helping to ensure that people get access to treatment. The plan will ensure that postcode and geography will not get in the way of the treatment people receive, and I look forward to working further with my hon. Friend and his constituents on how we can make that a reality.

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

I congratulate the Minister on this excellent piece of work. It is crucial to my residents in west Norfolk, where we have statistically the worst hospital in the country at the Queen Elizabeth in King’s Lynn—not in a big city, but in a rural part of west Norfolk. I ask the Minister to reassure my residents that unlike what happened under the previous Government, who created a postcode lottery in which many more rural communities missed out, this will be a truly national cancer plan that covers all parts of our great country.

[Ashley Dalton]

We recognise that the provision of cancer services varies significantly across the country. This plan sets out how we will end that variation by bringing healthcare to the community and ensuring that everyone, no matter their postcode, has access to high-quality cancer care. I want to assure everybody that cancer outcomes should not be dependent on someone’s location in the country and that we will make timely access to high-quality diagnostic and treatment services a reality for anyone and everyone who needs it.