Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that the National Cancer Plan includes a strategy for (a) research and (b) improved treatment for brain tumours in children.

The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to improve the experience and outcomes for people with cancer, including brain tumour patients.

On 4 February 2025, the Department relaunched the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to identify tangible ways to improve outcomes and experience for children and young people with cancer. The Taskforce will explore opportunities for improvement across detection and diagnosis, genomic testing and treatment, research and innovation, and patient experience. It will also ensure that the unique needs of children and young people with cancer are carefully considered as part of the plan.

Research is a key focus of the plan, and we will work closely with partners including the National Institute for Health and Care Research on this. The Department recognises that there are currently limited treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with brain tumours, and the significant impact that rarer forms of cancer can have on patients, carers and their families. The government is invested in driving new lifesaving and life-improving research, supporting those diagnosed and living with brain tumours.

Furthermore, the Department, NHS England, and the National Institute for Health Care and Research are taking several steps to help improve outcomes for brain tumour patients to ensure the most promising research opportunities are made available to adult and child patients.