Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects NHS trusts to reach the 62-day cancer waiting time standard.

As we set out in our new plan for reforming elective care, we are committed to improving performance on cancer waiting times. The National Health Service’s annual operational planning guidance set out a national commitment to improve waiting times, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement. Further details will be set out in a dedicated national cancer plan.