Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a fund for cancer patients aged up to 25 to cover the cost of travel to attend treatment (a) from the point of diagnosis, (b) throughout the duration of the cancer treatment and (c) without means testing.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring healthcare needs of local communities in England are met, including for children and young people with cancer. The National Health Service in England runs schemes to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

The NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme provides financial assistance to patients who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme in supporting with the cost of travel to cancer treatment, for people with cancer aged up to 25 years old, and their families. Additionally, there are currently no plans for the Department to make a formal assessment of the potential merits of implementing a fund for cancer patients aged up to 25 years old, to cover the cost of travel to attend treatment, without means testing.

The Department does not hold data on applications to the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme by cancer patients up to 25 years old, or families of a child with cancer, in the United Kingdom and from Northern Ireland, who travel to receive treatment in England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had discussions with the Secretaries of State for (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Transport on financial support for people aged up to 25 with cancer for cross-border travel within the UK to receive treatment.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring healthcare needs of local communities in England are met, including for children and young people with cancer. The National Health Service in England runs schemes to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

The NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme provides financial assistance to patients who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme in supporting with the cost of travel to cancer treatment, for people with cancer aged up to 25 years old, and their families. Additionally, there are currently no plans for the Department to make a formal assessment of the potential merits of implementing a fund for cancer patients aged up to 25 years old, to cover the cost of travel to attend treatment, without means testing.

The Department does not hold data on applications to the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme by cancer patients up to 25 years old, or families of a child with cancer, in the United Kingdom and from Northern Ireland, who travel to receive treatment in England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her Department holds on applications to the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme by (a) cancer patients up to 25 and (b) families of a child with cancer (i) in the UK and (ii) from Northern Ireland who travel to receive treatment in England.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring healthcare needs of local communities in England are met, including for children and young people with cancer. The National Health Service in England runs schemes to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

The NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme provides financial assistance to patients who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme in supporting with the cost of travel to cancer treatment, for people with cancer aged up to 25 years old, and their families. Additionally, there are currently no plans for the Department to make a formal assessment of the potential merits of implementing a fund for cancer patients aged up to 25 years old, to cover the cost of travel to attend treatment, without means testing.

The Department does not hold data on applications to the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme by cancer patients up to 25 years old, or families of a child with cancer, in the United Kingdom and from Northern Ireland, who travel to receive treatment in England.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme in supporting (a) people with cancer aged up to 25 and (b) their families with the cost of travel to cancer treatment.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England and the integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning and ensuring healthcare needs of local communities in England are met, including for children and young people with cancer. The National Health Service in England runs schemes to provide financial assistance for travel to a hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostics tests, when referred by a doctor or other primary healthcare professional.

The NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme provides financial assistance to patients who do not have a medical need for transport, but who require assistance with the costs of travelling to receive certain NHS services. The Department has not made a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme in supporting with the cost of travel to cancer treatment, for people with cancer aged up to 25 years old, and their families. Additionally, there are currently no plans for the Department to make a formal assessment of the potential merits of implementing a fund for cancer patients aged up to 25 years old, to cover the cost of travel to attend treatment, without means testing.

The Department does not hold data on applications to the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme by cancer patients up to 25 years old, or families of a child with cancer, in the United Kingdom and from Northern Ireland, who travel to receive treatment in England.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the (a) Department for Health and Social Care and (b) Department for Transport on providing financial support for young cancer patients (0-25) and their families travelling from Northern Ireland to receive treatment in England.

Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)

This matter is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. Arrangements for financial support for young cancer patients and their families travelling from Northern Ireland to receive treatment in England is a matter for the Northern Ireland Department of Health and local Health and Social Care Trusts.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with (a) the Department for Health and Social Care, (b) the Northern Ireland Office, (c) the Scotland Office and (d) the Wales Office on providing financial support for (i) cancer patients aged up to 25 and (ii) their families undertaking cross-border travel within the UK to receive treatment.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Ministers from the Department for Transport have not engaged with the Department for Health and Social Care or the Territorial Offices listed on the two matters listed above.

Found: Lockhart Maggie Throup Mr Philip Hollobone Mark Pritchard Andrew Bridgen Martin Vickers Ian

Found: Lockhart Maggie Throup Mr Philip Hollobone Mark Pritchard Andrew Bridgen Martin Vickers Ian

Found: _NC1 Ian Paisley ★.

Found: 1 Remaining proceedings Not selected: 1 (leave out clause); 2 (leave out clause) Chair : Ian

Found: Presented by Elizabeth Truss supported by Priti Patel , Ian Paisley , Dame Jackie Doyle-Price

Found: Presented by Elizabeth Truss supported by Priti Patel , Ian Paisley , Dame Jackie Doyle-Price