Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 75 of the policy paper entitled A National Cancer Plan for England: delivering world class cancer care, whether it is his policy that patients with rare cancers should be offered targeted and personalised therapies where genomic testing identifies a suitable potential treatment.

The National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February 2026, sets out clear actions to expand diagnostic genomic testing and ensure that this is matched by access to targeted therapies. The plan confirms that every cancer patient who would benefit from genomic testing, including those with rare cancers, will receive it within a clinically relevant timeframe.

To support timely access to treatments identified through genomic testing, a new joint National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency process from April 2026 will accelerate licensing and appraisal so that National Health Service funding recommendations can be made more quickly. The expansion of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service will also help identify suitable targeted therapies, connect patients to clinical trials faster, and integrate genomic data into the Single Patient Record by 2028.

With reference to page 75 of the National Cancer Plan, it is Government policy that patients with rare cancers should benefit from personalised and targeted therapies where genomic testing identifies a suitable option. The plan also strengthens specialist multidisciplinary teams for rare cancers so that patients can access expertise from specialist centres and the most up‑to‑date evidence‑based treatments.