Written Question: Terms for Rare Cancers Lead

Lord Moylan: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend that the national specialty lead for rare cancers, to be appointed under the Rare Cancers Act 2026, is to be a full-time, appropriately remunerated post; and at what Civil Service grade or equivalent the postholder will be appointed.

Parliamentary Under Secretaey of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Lady Merron): The Government will implement the Rare Cancers Act 2026 by ensuring that a National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers is appointed by summer 2026.

The National Specialty Lead will be based in the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) and will support research delivery for rare cancers research.

National specialty leads are part time roles that are appointed through a competitive process as a secondment to the University of Leeds who provide the NIHR RDN Coordinating Centre, working with and on behalf of the Department.

The National Specialty Lead for Rare Cancers will be appropriately renumerated with a salary grade that is consistent with their substantive post.

Implementing the Rare Cancers Act 2026 will make it easier for clinical trials on rare cancers to be delivered in England.