Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place, if any, with NHS England about (1) the levels of unmet need in rare cancers, and (2) incremental innovation in rare cancers' treatment, during the process of assessing medicines for inclusion on the Cancer Drugs Fund.

NHS England has advised that the current scoring system within the Cancer Drugs Fund makes provision for rarer cancers and unmet need where there is no recognised treatment available for a specific cancer. The clinical impact of innovation is considered by the clinical panel as part of the prioritisation process.