§ Mr. Derek TwiggTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources were allocated for cancer care for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01. [149746]
§ Yvette CooperThe Department does not collect figures on the cost of national health service services in a way that enables an accurate figure to be calculated for the cost of a particular disease.
It is estimated that cancer services account for 6.3 per cent. (£1,479 million) of national health service hospital expenditure in England. This excludes cancer services not normally provided on an in-patient basis—for example, cancer screening, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and community palliative care services.
110W£10 million per year extra has been invested directly in breast cancer services since 1997; since 1998 £10 million extra per year has been invested in colorectal cancer services; since 1999 £10 million extra per year has been invested in lung cancer services; and from 1999 £10 million extra per year has been available for waiting times. These sums are included in health authority baselines.
The NHS cancer plan set out funding for cancer services from 2001–02. Some £450 million has been hypothecated within health authority allocations for cancer and coronary heart disease, of which £255 million is specifically to support achievement of the cancer targets and milestones.
There is also £25 million within central budgets, which brings the total funding to £280 million for cancer in 2001–02 as promised. This money will be used to support developments including: the extension of the breast screening programme; the roll out of the cancer services collaborative; the introduction of primary care group/trust lead clinicians through a shared initiative with Macmillan Cancer Relief; and a package of support and training for community nurses in the principles of palliative care provision.