Spending Review: Health and Social Care

Clive Jones Excerpts

Thursday 12th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Karin Smyth]

My hon. Friend has been such a strong and powerful campaigner for women’s health since becoming an MP last year, and she is absolutely right to do that. I am pleased that we have been able to make some progress on conditions such as endometriosis. Many campaigns have been fought by many women in this House—including you, Madam Deputy Speaker, if I may say so—to highlight the importance of this issue. We see women’s health as front and centre. We want to learn from the women’s health hubs in their different guises and ensure that they are an integral part of neighbourhood health services.

[Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)]

I was really saddened that there was no mention of cancer in the Minister’s statement, so I will give her the opportunity to correct that omission. Will this new money for our NHS ensure that all cancer waiting time targets are met by the end of this Parliament, and can the Minister confirm that those targets will be included in the 10-year health plan? Finally, have Ministers had a chance to read my 11-page letter and accompanying submission on what should be in the national cancer plan?

[Karin Smyth]

I have a slight “get out of jail free” card, because I think that letter might be with one of my colleagues, not with me. Obviously, though, I look forward to the summary.

The hon. Gentleman makes a really important point about cancer. I would have to check, but I do not think I mentioned lots of disease-specific areas, including key manifesto commitments such as dentistry. Obviously, cancer is a huge part of waiting lists overall. We will get those waiting lists down—we are determined to meet that target—and we will issue a cancer plan later in the year.