Business of the House

Clive Jones Excerpts

Thursday 8th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

We absolutely recognise the challenges faced by rural areas, which is why we are increasing capacity in general practices by recruiting more GPs and ensuring that the necessary workforce are in place. However, my hon. Friend may wish to raise this issue directly with Ministers at Health questions on 13 January.

[Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)]

Cancer patients are suffering due to variations in cancer care across the country. In particular, clinical nurse specialists—a key part of cancer care—are stretched very thinly and are unable meet patients’ needs in many regions. A Breast Cancer Now survey found that a quarter of respondents had not seen a clinical nurse specialist since their diagnosis. Can we have a debate in Government time on how best to tackle variation in cancer care, and particularly the problems in accessing clinical nurse specialists?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

The hon. Gentleman raises a really important matter. The NHS plan, and the investment that we are putting in, will not just address the issue of where in the NHS people are, but ensure that there are more of them. Let me gently say to him—this also applies to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Bobby Dean)—that we all support the ends, in that we want more specialists, in cancer care and in everything else, but we also have to support the means. That means voting to put in the money, when it comes to Budgets. The Liberal Democrats cannot have it both ways.