The national health service has seen unprecedented increases in funding for cancer services. Such spending has increased from £3.4 billion in 2003-04 to £4.35 billion in 2006-07. In 2006-07, Bedfordshire primary care trust spent £17.9 million on cancer services. As the hon. Gentleman will know, it is for individual primary care trusts to decide the level of funding that they allocate locally for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients in their local population.
More than three times as much is spent per cancer patient in the constituency of the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) than is made available for my constituents. When will the Government bring in a truly fair funding formula that will mean we are no longer two Englands—a phrase that independent academics recently referred to in the Health Committee—when it comes to health care?
On spending, it has been agreed by Members of all parties that local primary care trusts know the needs of their area best. We have already extended breast screening to all women between the ages of 50 and 70; we have introduced bowel cancer screening programmes, which are the first in Europe to target both men and women; and we have seen major reductions in waiting lists.
I can tell my hon. Friend that none of my constituents has complained about access to cancer services in Bedfordshire, although there is always a wish to see improved services. Does she agree that one of the drivers that helps to underpin improvements in cancer services is an effective system of patient and public involvement? Therefore, does she share my concern that on 1 April the Bedfordshire PPI forum will be abolished with no likely replacement LINk system in place?
My hon. Friend would have a serious point if local involvement networks—LINks—were not in place. LINks will only strengthen the patient’s voice, not only in the health service but for social services. I always agree with the idea of involving patients and the public. That is why our cancer reform strategy has been so successful; all stakeholders including all the cancer charities were involved and it has been welcomed by those charities.
The Minister is right to say that decisions must be taken locally, but is she not able to see that a PCT can take decisions on spending only according to the money it is given? The issue raised by my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) is that the variables and differentials in certain areas have widened so much that it is not possible for an area such as Bedfordshire to compete or to give necessary treatment to its patients. That distinction in the variables in the formula has now stretched so far that is affecting access to care. This is a matter of justice.
The hon. Gentleman’s point concerns me, because there has been an increase of over 5.5 per cent. for all PCTs. I encourage him to engage more fully with his PCT to look at how certain areas are operating the very best practice. I know that results within the hon. Gentleman’s area for the incidence of cancer and its outcomes are still very good indeed.
My hon. Friend will be aware that Luton has serious health inequalities, which have persisted over many years, while at the same time receiving funding well below its fair funding target. Things are starting to improve, but will my hon. Friend ensure that Luton gets its fair funding target at least, and that its health inequalities are properly addressed?
It is my belief that no one is more than 2.5 per cent. away from their target. I urge my hon. Friend to work closely with his PCT and to keep discussing the issue. It is critical to all hon. Members to have the equity that we all want for our constituents.
Expenditure on cancer services in the UK now matches that of many other European countries. Yet despite the significant investment by British taxpayers in cancer services—an extra £693 million over three years—UK five-year survival rates have not accelerated and are among the worst in Europe. If the UK achieved the European best cancer survival rates, more than 34,000 lives would be saved every year. Why has the extra expenditure not improved survival rates?
I cannot be clear that that information is the most up to date and I urge the hon. Gentleman to check the figures. There is an increase in survival rates and improvements throughout the cancer sector, as all experts and charities have recognised. We still have some difficulty in this country with people being aware of what to look for, so that when they present at their general practice the GP can diagnose quickly. More work is being done on raising awareness. However, I urge the hon. Gentleman to check the facts.