Only 56% of bowel cancer patients were seen within two months

The statistics covered the period from April to June this year.

Health Minister Andy Kerr promised that all patients with an urgent referral would be treated within two months by the end of this year.

He said it would be a difficult target to meet, but expected that the benefits of investment would soon pay off.

In total, just under 75% of cancer patients were being treated within two months.

We set a stretching target and have always recognised it will be difficult to meet Andy Kerr Health Minister

The figure fell below 60% for those with bowel cancer or cancer of the lymphatic system.

The percentages of those with melanoma and ovarian cancer being treated within the target time both rose to 86%.

However, the figures for breast and lung cancer showed a slight fall on the previous three-month period, from 86.3% to 85.9% and from 71.8% to 70.4% respectively.

Mr Kerr said health boards had made "limited progress" towards meeting the target - but still had work to do before the end of the year.

Beating cancer

"We set a stretching target, and have always recognised it will be difficult to meet," he said.

"More and more Scots are living with and beating cancer.

"But that doesn't take away the concerns and anxieties felt by anyone who thinks they might have it. We must reduce waiting times."

He added that the benefits of investment to drive down waiting times should start to show in performance reports for the latter half of the year.

Nanette Milne, the health spokeswoman for the Conservatives, said the executive's failure to meet targets was "beyond incompetence".

The minister must now take personal responsibility for these unacceptable figures Shiona Robison SNP

"The hopes of those who suffer from this dreadful illness are inevitably buoyed when they hear that they will be seen within two months," she said.

"For over 25% of them to then find out this is not the case is absolutely shameful.

"Andy Kerr has put the 'public good, private bad' mentality ahead of delivering the best possible care for cancer sufferers and that is a dereliction of his duty."

Scottish National Party health spokeswoman Shiona Robison said the executive had a "moral obligation" to meet its two-month waiting target and to end "postcode cancer treatments".