Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Written Statement of 24 January on Government Action on Major Conditions and Diseases, HCWS514, how the Major Conditions Strategy will tackle waiting times for cancer (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment.

The Major Conditions Strategy will look at cancer, covering the patient pathway from prevention, through treatment, to follow-up care. The strategy will look at a wide range of interventions and enablers to improve outcomes and experience for cancer patients.

The Major Conditions Strategy will draw on previous work on cancer, including over 5,000 submissions provided to the Department as part of our Call for Evidence last year.  We will continue to work closely with stakeholders, citizens, and the National Health Service in coming weeks to identify actions for the strategy that will have the most impact.