Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of breast cancer patients whose treatment will potentially be affected following the re-evaluation of the Cancer Drugs Fund list in December 2014.

NHS England has not yet confirmed any decisions following its re-evaluation of certain drug and indication combinations currently included on the Cancer Drugs Fund national list.

NHS England has assured the Department that no patient whose treatment is currently being funded through the Fund will have funding withdrawn, as long as it is clinically appropriate that they continue to receive that treatment. In addition, no drug will be removed from the Fund where it is the only therapy for that condition.

We are committed to maintaining the Cancer Drugs Fund until the end of March 2016. We will carefully consider with NHS England what arrangements should be put in place for the long term.