Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.

Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.

The Department remains committed to ensuring that all patients have timely access to cutting-edge cancer treatments, including radiotherapy. This commitment has been demonstrated by a £70 million investment into 28 new radiotherapy linear accelerator, or LINAC, radiotherapy machines, which are currently being rolled out and replacing outdated, inefficient radiotherapy equipment.

The Department expects that radiotherapy treatment centres will use all appropriate technology for treating patients, ensuring they receive the best possible care.

The responsibility for commissioning radiotherapy services was delegated to integrated care boards from 1 April 2025, and this responsibility includes planning service provision with appropriate National Health Service trusts and taking local factors into account. NHS England has included some guidance about access to radiotherapy and population needs within the national Service Specification for External Beam Radiotherapy, which is pertinent to considering satellite service provision and should assist local determination, as appropriate.