Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new treatment options for glioblastoma are reviewed and made available as quickly as possible.

The Government recognises that glioblastoma is a rare and aggressive brain tumour and is committed to improving outcomes for people affected by rare and less common cancers such as this.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on whether new licensed medicines, including treatments for glioblastoma, should be routinely funded by the National Health Service based on an assessment of their clinical and cost effectiveness. NICE aims, wherever possible, to issue guidance close to the time of licensing. NICE-recommended cancer medicines are eligible for funding from the point of NICE's draft guidance, bringing forward patient access by up to five months.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, and effectiveness before they can be used in the United Kingdom.

The National Cancer Plan for England commits to accelerating access to innovation and speeding up the implementation of technologies and treatments proven to improve cancer outcomes. Through Action 16 of the plan, the Government will work to accelerate the adoption of effective technologies and treatments across cancer services, helping ensure that patients can benefit from innovation more quickly.

Patients with glioblastoma will also benefit from the wider commitments in the National Cancer Plan to improve outcomes for people affected by rare and less common cancers.