The Department does not routinely collect figures on the cost to the national health service of cancer treatment drugs.
In 2005, the Department completed a tracking investment exercise which showed that between 2000-01 and 2003-04 spending on drugs for cancer treatment increased by £192 million, but we do not know the baseline figure.
Total NHS expenditure on cancer services, which includes drugs, was £4.3 billion in 2005-06, which equates to 5.4 per cent. of all NHS spending.