To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to monitor the proposed extension of the 31-day waiting time standard to cover all cancer treatments as described in his Department’s Cancer Reform Strategy. (175126)

We will monitor national health service progress towards delivery of the extended cancer waiting times standards, and achievement of the standards by NHS organisations. The mechanism for monitoring progress is currently under consideration by a Department/NHS expert group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to establish the national audit in primary care of all patients diagnosed with cancer as described in paragraph 3.61 of his Department’s Cancer Reform Strategy. (175129)

The national audit in primary care of patients newly diagnosed with cancer will be undertaken in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners and the National Patient Safety Agency. The National Cancer Director is working with those organisations to establish the details of the audit, and will then establish how soon the audit can begin.