Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set up a Young Patient Travel Fund to assist families with the travel expense of attending specialist hospitals for cancer treatment; and if he will make a statement.

There is work underway to review the service specifications for children and young people with cancer. This will provide an opportunity to consider how some aspects of the patient pathway may be provided more locally to reduce the travel burden for patients and their families.

Currently the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme which is part of the NHS Low Income Scheme allows for patients (and in certain circumstances their carers) to receive reimbursement of travel if they are in receipt of a qualifying benefit or on a low income. The NHS Low Income Scheme has helped 337,000 applicants to receive financial help with their National Health Service treatment.