Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, how the Government's committed spend of up to £300 million per year to improve cancer diagnostics was allocated in 2015-16.

In September 2015 the Government announced funding of up to £300 million a year by 2020 to increase diagnostic capacity to meet the new target that patients will be given a definitive cancer diagnosis, or the all clear, within 28 days of being referred by a general practitioner.

As the commitment was made during the 2015/16 financial year no funding was allocated in that year.