We are seriously concerned at the apparent ease with which trusts can redeploy such funds if they chose

Commons Science and Technology Committee

It says a National Cancer Act should address the need for a clear cancer research strategy.

In a report into cancer research, the committee expresses "disappointment" that too few patients are being admitted to cancer trials.

It also warns that patients are still failing to get access to effective drugs.

Funding

A previous report by the committee, published in July 2000, recommended that at least �200m a year should be spent on cancer research.

The government says it is actually spending �190m a year.

But the new report questions whether even this sum is being spent on cancer research alone.

The report also addresses the issue of general funding of cancer care.

In its Cancer Plan, published in September 2000, the government pledged to increase spending on cancer care by �570m a year by 2003-04.

But cancer specialists told the committee that some of the first round of funding - �280m for 2000-01 - may have been diverted by NHS Trusts into paying of debt or meeting administration costs.

The report says: "The increase in cancer care funding, often quoted over recent months, may not be reaching those who are relying on it to deliver the Cancer Plan.

"We are seriously concerned at the apparent ease with which trusts can redeploy such funds if they chose.

"We consider it dissembling to allocate funding to cancer care, with great publicity, without taking even the simplest precautions to ensure that it reaches the intended areas."

Patient registration

We have made very clear that Trusts will need to meet the targets set out in the Cancer Plan

Professor Mike Richards

The report also identifies the failure to overhaul the system of cancer registration as a key issue, and warns that unless the problem is addressed through legislation medical research will be "irretrievably damaged".

Registration of cancer patients enables researchers to keep track of the number of people who contract the various forms of the disease, and of death and survival rates.

However, registration is not anonymous, as certain personal details are needed to cross-check the data.

The previous, Science and Technology Committee report recommended that the government introduce legislation to make registration mandatory.

However, not only has this not been forthcoming, the General Medical Council issued guidance to doctors stressing that explicit patient consent be sought before details are logged.

This guidance was subsequently put on hold following protestations from the cancer research community, but the MPs say that it has nevertheless been "highly damaging to information gathering for medical research and cancer registration."

Government response

Professor Gordon McVie, of Cancer Research UK, added: "I think there is still a mystery about where some of the money is and whether the cheque got lost in the post or whether it has been absorbed like creosote into the fence post of the administration of the health service."

A spokesman for the charity said the report confirmed the experience of doctors and scientists throughout the country.

Patients are not yet receiving all the money they urgently need, he said.

"In cash-strapped trusts the full allocation of funding intended to improve cancer services is not yet benefiting the patients who urgently need it."

However, National Cancer Director Professor Mike Richards said extra money had been allocated to health authorities to improve cancer services.

"That is what we expect to see happen," he said.

"We will be monitoring this investment and will look at whether further action needs to be taken within the performance management framework at the end of this year.

"We have made very clear that Trusts will need to meet the targets set out in the Cancer Plan and will be performance managed to do so."