Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce an action plan on cancer (1) diagnosis, and (2) treatment; and if they have such plans, when they will be introduced.

The Government is committed to the National Health Service (NHS) Long Term Plan which has set out ambitions that, by 2028; the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages one and two will rise from around 54% now, to 75% of cancer patients; and 55,000 more people each year will survive their cancer for at least five years after diagnosis. It also sets out a series of actions, concerning diagnosis and treatment, for achieving these ambitions.

In March 2021, the NHS published the 2021-22 priorities and operational planning guidance. This sets out the priorities for the NHS, including addressing the shortfall in the number of first cancer treatments, reducing the number of people waiting longer than 62 days for diagnosis and/or treatment and continuing to make progress on Long Term Plan priorities.