Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what budget in this financial year has been assigned to providing mental health services for patients coming to terms with cancer diagnoses.

The information requested is not held, as there is no specific budget to provide mental health services to people with cancer that is reported nationally.

The Independent Cancer Taskforce published its report, Achieving World-Class Cancer Outcomes: A Strategy for England 2015-2020, in July this year. The mental health issues often experienced by those with cancer were highlighted in it. The Department and NHS England are currently working with partners across the health system to determine how best to take forward the recommendations of the report.