From Cancer to Thames Water, Ministers Promise Action

High-Level Summary

Westminster Hall held five debates on health, welfare, media and utilities. MPs pressed for action on less survivable cancers, focusing on early diagnosis, waiting times and research; the Minister confirmed support for the Rare Cancers Bill and said the cancer plan would be published in early February. A poverty and welfare debate centred on adequacy, disability and in‑work poverty, with Ministers outlining a cross‑Government child poverty strategy and welfare measures. Charter renewal for the BBC examined governance, impartiality and sustainable funding under a Green Paper consultation. MPs also urged wider use of therapeutic play in children’s healthcare, and scrutinised Thames Water’s finances and performance; Ministers trailed a forthcoming water White Paper and confirmed contingency planning if insolvency occurs.

Detailed Summary

Less Survivable Cancers

Clive Jones opened by stressing the scale and outcomes of six cancers, saying, “Every year in the UK, 90,000 people are diagnosed with a less survivable cancer” and they cause 67,000 deaths, with a collective five‑year survival of 16% [ref: a33.6/4]. He cited the APPG’s conclusion that “if earlier diagnosis rates were doubled, an additional 7,500 lives would be saved every year” [ref: a34.5/3]. He highlighted waiting‑time breaches: “73% of trusts are failing to meet their 62-day cancer waiting time standard” and “not a single NHS trust has met the 62-day target since 2015” [ref: a36.0/7]. Contributions called for better GP tools, centres of excellence, standardised optimal pathways, workforce and research funding, and reiterated that treatment delays cost lives.

Responding, the Minister, Ashley Dalton, confirmed Government support for the Rare Cancers Bill [ref: a54.0/4], and said the national cancer plan would be published “in just a few short weeks, in early February” with “rare and less survivable cancers” featuring heavily [ref: a54.0/6]. She pointed to NIHR cancer research, including a “£13.7 million brain tumour research consortium” [ref: a54.0/8]. The House resolved, “That this House has considered less survivable cancers” [ref: a56.0/6].

Poverty and Welfare Policies

Neil Duncan‑Jordan argued that “Today, more than 14 million live in poverty” and framed poverty as “a political choice” [ref: a58.1/4, a58.1/3]. He urged a protective minimum floor (an essentials guarantee), noting that “five in six low‑income households on universal credit are going without essentials” [ref: a59.3/3]. Interventions challenged the idea that welfare was “spiralling” as a share of GDP [ref: a59.0/1], and raised disability assessment, in‑work poverty and the need for support into work.

Minister Diana R. Johnson outlined the cross‑Government child poverty strategy, saying the aim was “to lift 550,0000 children out of poverty by the end of this Parliament,” alongside removing the two‑child limit [ref: a61.3/3]. She highlighted employment measures and pay, with the national living wage rising to “£12.71 an hour” [ref: a61.3/8], changes to universal credit deductions to “15%” and an above‑inflation rise in its basic rate [ref: a63.1/4, a63.1/5]. She reiterated a commitment “to end mass dependency on emergency food parcels” [ref: a63.1/7]. The motion was agreed to [ref: a63.1/14‑15].

BBC Charter Renewal

John Whittingdale said the charter must be renewed by end‑2027, noting the Green Paper “points out at the beginning that unless the charter is renewed by 31 December 2027, the BBC will cease to exist” [ref: a66.1/5]. He raised governance and standards, and warned about funding pressures, citing a licence fee evasion rate “now 12.5%” [ref: a67.0/3]. He criticised ruling out certain funding models—“we are not considering replacing it with alternative forms of public funding”—and cautioned that BBC advertising could harm commercial broadcasters [ref: a69.0/3, a69.2/2].

Minister Stephanie Peacock described the Green Paper as the “first step” across governance, funding, mission and digital [ref: a88.0/11], and said the Government was “keeping an open mind” on options such as more commercial revenue and licence fee reform [ref: a88.0/16]. She clarified, “we are not looking to expand free TV licences” to those on benefits [ref: a88.0/9]. The House resolved, “That this House has considered Government proposals for renewal of the BBC Charter” [ref: a92.1/4].

Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare

Calvin Bailey set out how play improved a child’s cancer journey, quoting: “I saw my little Hari emerge again, play was bringing him back to us” and describing preparation that enabled “an MRI scan that Hari did, fully awake, at four years old” via play with a Lego scanner [ref: a94.0/3, a94.2/2]. He cited Starlight’s finding that in 2023/24, “72% of NHS trusts had no budget for play resources and only 15% had play service policies or procedures” [ref: a95.2/2], and called for embedding health play specialists and rolling out the NHS Play Well toolkit.

Minister Ashley Dalton said, “We published the NHS England and Starlight Play Well toolkit in June last year,” and NHS England is ensuring service managers are aware of it [ref: a98.1/3]. She added that “all children will have access to a mental health support team in their school or college by the end of this Parliament” and that “Best Start family hubs will be rolled out to every local authority from April,” with guidance requiring providers to consider children in roll‑outs [ref: a99.1/2, a99.1/5, a100.1/3]. The motion was agreed to [ref: a100.1/4].

Future of Thames Water

Layla Moran detailed customer harms and operational failings, including an “81‑year‑old” sent a £39,000 bill, later revised to £37,688.64 [ref: a102.2/4], and a blocked pipe case leaving residents with “no toilet, no washing facilities and no power” [ref: a102.2/6]. She criticised high leakage—“over 592 million litres a day”—and dividend payouts, noting “the company paid £158.3 million out to shareholders” in March 2024 [ref: a104.1/3]. She urged special administration and a public benefit model, queried the SESRO reservoir, and called for a tougher regulator and a White Paper.

Minister Angela Eagle said reform had begun: “Through the Water (Special Measures) Act, we have driven meaningful improvements” and the Government intends to “establish a new single regulator, create a water ombudsman, and stop water companies from marking their own homework,” with a water reform White Paper due “very shortly” [ref: a115.2/2‑3]. She confirmed contingency planning and stated, “should Thames Water become insolvent, we would not hesitate to apply to the court to place the company into a special administration regime,” adding that “Thames Water is now under a cash lock‑up arrangement; only Ofwat can approve any further dividend payments” [ref: a116.3/1, a116.1/1]. The motion was agreed to [ref: a118.2/3‑5].