National Cancer Plan

Edward Leigh Excerpts

Thursday 5th February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Ashley Dalton]

I commend my hon. Friend for the work that he is doing in this area while going through treatment for skin cancer. Action 30 is really important, and we are also committing in this plan to tackling under-age sunbed use. We are committing to look at what more we can do to combat dangerous sunbed use, and to promote prevention when it comes to skincare in the sun. We will explore what more we can do about that, and I look forward to working with my hon. Friend to do so.

[Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)]

While cancer incidence in Lincolnshire is about average, premature mortality is higher than average, and we only have to look at a map of England to see the north-south divide and the rural-urban divide. I want to ask about prostate cancer. I do not want to get into a debate about national screening, because that has been well aired, but it is not generally known by men that any man over the age of 50 can go to his GP and demand a prostate-specific antigen test. It seems to me that, as part of this programme, we should encourage all men every year to ask not just for a PSA test, but for a general blood test. Women should do similar. Irrespective of national screening programmes, everybody should do that, given that survival rates for conditions such as prostate cancer are incredibly high if there is early detection. Is that not something that we should be encouraging?

[Ashley Dalton]

I agree with the right hon. Member that prevention is absolutely key. We cannot prevent all cancers, but we can do much to prevent cancers from being caught late and to get to them when they are more treatable. We encourage all eligible people to access the tests and screening that are available to them. Through the new NHS app, each individual will be able to get a personalised risk factor to identify what they may be at risk of, and to nudge them towards which tests and screenings they should ask their GP for. That is something that we are looking to develop for all cancers, including prostate cancer. We are also expanding access to the life-extending prostate cancer drug abiraterone—I had to practise saying that; I can say mine, which is capecitabine. That will get thousands more men effective treatment earlier, which can significantly improve their chances of long-term survival. Through this plan, we intend to prevent and catch cancer early. Included in the plan is raising awareness of cancer across all communities to ensure that people access the screening and early tests that they are entitled to.