Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on appointing a National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers as required by the Rare Cancers Act 2026.

The Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026 by ensuring that a National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers is appointed by summer 2026. The National Specialty Lead will be based in the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s Research Delivery Network and will support research delivery for rare cancers research.

Implementing the Rare Cancers Act 2026 will make it easier for clinical trials on rare cancers to be delivered in England.