Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 28 of his Department's document entitled National Cancer Plan for England, published on 4 February 2026, what progress he has made on the development and implementation of multi‑cancer early detection tests; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of evaluating and integrating blood‑based biomarker tests and other non‑invasive diagnostic tools for earlier detection of brain tumours.

The Department will continue to implement the actions set out in the National Cancer Plan, including supporting the development and adoption of multi-cancer early detection tests and other non-invasive diagnostic tools.

Whilst the 10-Year Health Plan anticipated a breakthrough within the next five years, any new screening test must be subject to review by the UK National Screening Committee, to prove safety, efficacy and value before it can become part of a national screening program. We will prioritise further efforts to research and evaluate effective diagnostic tools and tests for rare cancers, including brain cancer, using multi-cancer early detection tests and other non-invasive diagnostic tests.