§ Mr. MacDougallTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the most recent cancer survival rates for the most common forms of cancer are in the UK; and what information he has received on survival rates in(a) other EU, (b) other G8 and (c) EU applicant countries. [114617]
§ John HealeyThe information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. MacDougall, dated 22 May 2003:
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question concerning what the most recent cancer survival rates for the most common forms of cancer are in the UK; and what information has been received on survival rates in (a) other EU, (b) other G8 and (c) EU applicant countries. (114617)Survival figures for the UK as a whole are not currently available. The available figures for the separate countries of the UK are not directly comparable because of differences in coverage and for other reasons. The latest available information on survival rates for cancer in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are available from the following websites:England: http://www.nationalstatistics.gov.ukyStatBase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D4924.xlsWales: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites/documents/242/CancerRegistration.pdfScotland: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/cancer/excel/surviv_update.xlsNorthern Ireland: http://www.qub.ac.uk/nicr/commoncan.htmThe Office for National Statistics does not collate cancer survival figures for other countries. Comparable statistics on cancer survival in those parts of Europe that are covered by cancer registries were produced by the EUROCARE 11 study and published in "Survival of cancer patients in Europe EUROCARE 11 study" (1ARC scientific Publication No. 151); this is available in the House of Commons Library.No similar publication has been produced for the G8 countries.