Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the National Cancer Board will be accountable for the children and young people’s chapter of the National Cancer Plan for England; and, if so, how it will ensure sufficient representation from the children and young people sector.

The National Cancer Plan for England, published on the 4 February 2026, sets out several commitments and ambitions, to be delivered within the next 10 years. The role of the reformed National Cancer Board will be to support and monitor the delivery of the commitments and ambitions and provide regular updates to ministers.

The board will be co-chaired by the Director General for Planned Care in the Department, as well as an independent representative. It is important to choose the most suitable appointment process for selecting an independent representative to co-chair the board. Officials from NHS England and the Department are carefully following the required public appointments procedures for the selection of the independent representative.

The reformed National Cancer Board will be established once a co-chair is appointed, which will include a children and young people cancer lead that will support the delivery of the children and young people commitments in the National Cancer Plan.