To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve cancer testing across the UK.
Answered on
23 April 2025
The Government is focused on reducing waiting times for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in England. The Department has invested approximately £1.5 billion of capital funding in 2025/26 for new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners, creating capacity for over 30,000 more procedures and 1.25 million diagnostic tests. Furthermore, the National Health Service has hit its pledge early to deliver over two million more elective care appointments.
The National Cancer Plan for England will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients, as well as speeding up diagnosis and treatment, ensuring patients have access to the latest treatments and technology. It has the overarching goal to ultimately bring England’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world and provide an NHS that is there when patients need it.