 The final item of business this evening is a member's business debate on motion 2748 in the name of Jackie Baillie on World Cancer Day 2022. The debate will be concluded without any questions being put. I would ask members who wish to participate to press the request to speak with Gotins now as soon as possible, place an R in the chat function. I call on Jackie Baillie to open the debate for around seven minutes, Ms Baillie. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I'm delighted to bring this member's debate to the chamber today in recognition of World Cancer Day 2022, which, of course, is on 4 February. Let me encourage colleagues to wear your cancer research UK unity wristband throughout the week, especially whilst in the chamber, to ensure that we raise as much awareness as we can of cancer. I would like to start by thanking Cancer Research UK both for suggesting this motion and for congratulating them for reaching their 20th anniversary this year. Their work over that period has been truly life-changing for so many people and they've been at the front line of the fight against cancer. I would also like to extend my thanks to Miles Briggs, who is the co-convener of the CPG on cancer alongside me and who does absolutely tremendous work in helping to raise awareness and campaign for improvements to services. I would genuinely be surprised if there is anyone in this chamber who has not been affected by cancer in some way, either through losing a loved one, supporting a friend or family member as they receive treatment or through having treatment themselves. The importance of raising awareness of all types of cancer, as well as ensuring that everyone knows the steps that we can take to avoid and identify it, cannot be stressed enough. We must celebrate the fact, though, that great progress in research has been made. We've seen survival rates double in the last 40 years and it is now the case that one in two people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years or more. However, there is always more room for improvement in the fight against cancer and that's why the theme of this year's World Cancer Day is close the care gap. It's about understanding and recognising inequality in cancer care. Achieving equality in cancer care does mean confronting the many differences in care and survival rates across Scotland and across the UK. It will come as no surprise to any of us that the most deprived areas of our country have far worse outcomes for cancer care and far worse survival rates than people from the most affluent areas. Research confirms that more deprived areas have a higher prevalence of cancer risk factors. Many people are less aware of the symptoms of cancer, they are less likely to participate in screening programmes and, shamefully, they report coming across many more barriers when trying to seek help and care. Scotland's deprivation gap for cancer is sitting at 32 per cent, with mortality rates for all cancers 74 per cent higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas. Those statistics are not new, but they should shock us all into urgent and robust action. There is simply no justification for a country as wealthy as Scotland to continue to have such deep health inequalities. Cancer is still the leading cause of death in Scotland, with 34,000 people diagnosed on a yearly basis. I know that organisations such as Macmillan who provide valuable services in my community are hugely concerned that the delays in diagnosis due to pauses in the screening programmes during the pandemic will soon see a sharp rise both in the number of cases and their seriousness. There are reports of people presenting at A and E with stage 4 cancers that have simply not been picked up before. NHS Scotland's cancer workforce is doing an incredible job, but staff and services have not been given the support that they need to keep up with that growing demand. Far too many people in Scotland are waiting far too long to receive a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Let me be absolutely clear that the fault for that lies at all with the hard-working staff. Only 83 per cent of patients on an urgent referral for a suspicion of cancer started treatment within 62 days. The 95 per cent target that was set by the Scottish Government has not been met for a decade, so we really need to do things much better. Macmillan and others are clear that, while the pandemic has undoubtedly added to the backlog in cancer waiting times, those services were already struggling to cope long before Covid-19 hit. The Scottish Government therefore needs to prioritise the delivery of the action plan for cancer services and make sure that the long-awaited health and social care workforce strategy addresses the urgent issue of workforce capacity, including increasing the number of cancer specialist nurses. Cancer research UK has said that there is genuine concern that if action isn't taken for the very first time, we could see survival rates go backwards. Presiding Officer, I want to briefly mention the Blood Cancer Alliance, a coalition of 15 blood cancer charities from across the UK. Blood cancer, and it was a surprise to me to find this out, is the UK's third biggest cancer killer, with over 15,000 deaths a year. It's the UK's fifth most prevalent cancer, with 40,000 new diagnoses every year. Yet, from awareness to diagnosis to information, care and support, blood cancer patients are less likely to see their needs fully met than patients with the four most common cancers, breast, colorectal, lung and prostate. The number of blood cancer patients who had to see their GP five or more times before being referred for specialist treatment is nearly double that of patients with other cancers in Scotland. The disparity between patients' experience of blood cancer diagnosis in comparison to other common cancers needs to be addressed urgently in order to improve blood cancer outcomes and achieve the equity of treatment of patients across the whole of the cancer sector. I hope that the Scottish Government will recognise that and ensure that there is a greater focus on blood cancers in the future alongside all the others. Finally, I want to touch on the impact that a cancer diagnosis can have on children, on young people and their families. Every year in Scotland, around 320 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer. Studies have found that young people in Scotland and their families face an average round-trip of something like 68 miles to access treatment. Of course, young people in remote and rural communities in Scotland can face journeys of over 400 miles, indeed by far the longest in the UK. Research by Young Lives vs Cancer found that the expenses associated with a cancer diagnosis, especially in relation to travel, food and energy bills, cost families around £600 a month extra during their child's cancer treatment. 61 per cent of parents had accumulated some form of debt. 42 per cent of parents had stopped working due to their child's cancer. That is also borne out by analysis from Macmillan that shows that 87 per cent of people with cancer experience a negative financial impact right from the very point of their diagnosis. Help is there from Macmillan, and I will quote their helpline number and encourage people affected to phone it. The Macmillan helpline number is 0808 808 0000. I also very much welcome the Scottish Government's Young Patients Family Fund and hope that that will be reviewed to expand cover to cross-national travel and to families of young people up to the age of 24. Presiding Officer, this world cancer day lets resolve not to go backwards. We need an ambitious catch-up plan. We need adequately resourced services. We need enough cancer professionals to meet demand, and we need to get screening programmes back on track. Yes, I include breast cancer screening for women over 70. Above all, we need a laser-like focus on overcoming the barriers caused by disadvantage, to close the gap in cancer care and by doing so to close the gap in outcomes. I can advise the chamber that this is a debate that is heavily subscribed. I would be grateful if colleagues could stick to their four minutes as far as possible. I congratulate Jackie Baillie on securing this timious debate when Covid has dominated the health agenda for some two years and has had a devastating impact on cancer diagnosis and care, as well as with other serious life-threatening illnesses. It cannot be said often enough that one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, and I also echo that someone who has suffered from cancer also affects the entire family and colleagues. Treatments have improved, early diagnosis had improved and researched. We have come on strides and decades, but it is still a very scary word. Obviously, the impact of Covid has led to the postponement of treatments of diagnosis and follow-up examinations. There will hardly be a family that has not been impacted by this, with stress and anxiety and, indeed, the possibility that delay may have increased the spread of the cancerous cells, as referred to by Jackie Baillie at stage 4 reporting at A&E. It remains crucial that we all keep Covid at bay to allow that NHS to treat those with life-threatening illnesses and inequalities. In people coming forward, early diagnosis remains an issue, and there is no doubt in deprived areas and in some cultural communities that there is a hesitancy about coming forward. What we must do is take the screening to the people. The travelling breast cancer screening, which was in supermarkets and in office card parks and at nurseries, was excellent. The bowel screening programme, which I have also used, was also an excellent thing. People talk to each other about these things. There is nothing like one-to-one encouragement. When we look at this, I hear that the fear that we have when we hear the word cancer, however, knows no class. One of the biggest issues is delay, and delay is dangerous. It is better to find out that you could prevent cells from turning into cancer or cancer cells spreading than to put your head in the sand. Remember the statistics. One in two of us will suffer cancer, and not one of us in this chamber is invincible. However, diagnosis and treatment is one thing. Support emotional and psychological to the person who has been diagnosed and their family is crucial. As financial support, referred to also by Jackie Baillie. Organisations such as Macmillan, which have on their website, contacts to get financial support and emotional support, are important. So is the local CAB, so is your local politician, if you cannot find it for yourself. I commend the websites of the CAB and, in fact, Macmillan Cancer. I want to finish on this. The possibility that you may have cancer is very scary. You start from worrying about the day-to-day everything in life about the next food shop, taking the dog for a walk, and suddenly you are at A&E, and you have a barium meal, MRI scans, and you meet somebody called an oncologist—a scary, scary word. However, can I tell you something? It is better that than delaying. Fear is not your friend, so do not put off. If you take something from this and you have a thought that you may have something serious that may be cancer, speak to someone, get checked, that is the key message from me. I thank Jackie Baillie for securing today's important debate ahead of World Cancer Day on February 4 and commend her for her efforts over the years to raise awareness of cancer, cancer research, cancer prevention and also to show my band. Cancer affects physical health. Cancer also impacts emotionally. The first reaction to a cancer diagnosis is often shock and numbness. Patients hear nothing other than the words, you have cancer. It can take time for patients to accept the diagnosis, especially if they do not feel particularly sick, but for everyone, hearing the word cancer is really scary. There is the worry about treatment, the side effect, test results, what will happen down the road, how cancer will affect family work, independence, relationships and finances. Macmillan cancer support finds that 87% of Scots with cancer are impacted financially from their diagnosis, on average by £1,000 a month. For those diagnosed late, there is often anger. Why me? In fact, for everyone diagnosed, there is some anger. Why me? They may feel angry with the family of friends, their doctor, the world or even themselves, because some cancers do not have symptoms in the early stages, or symptoms might have been explained as another condition. There is the sadness, the loneliness, the overwhelming loss of control when cancer changes day-to-day life or when family and friends have trouble understanding and coping with a diagnosis. This emotional rollercoaster starts with courage. The courage is to seek help from their GP or pick up the phone and call someone. There is the wait. Waiting for test results, waiting for a referral, waiting for treatment, every day seems like a week. According to Macmillan, a third of patients undergoing treatment worry that any delay could affect their survival chances on cancer while they are waiting. There is a clear need that every person diagnosed with cancer has a personalised care and support plan and a sign posted to mental health and wellbeing support. Just recently, I saw a patient who has been diagnosed with bowel cancer that has been spreading. He was only discovered because he was admitted to hospital with Covid. He had the symptoms found by doctors as they took a full history and made the diagnosis. He had been suffering the symptoms for two years but was too scared and too worried about Covid to come and see me. It is too late to cure him and his story is sadly far from unique. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Scotland. Around 34,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year. However, cancer treatments and outcomes have greatly improved in recent times. One in two now survive for 10 years or more. However, it is dependent on people coming forward early and our cancer service is increasing its capacity. Scotland has a strong cancer research base, including cancer research UK centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as Glasgow's prestigious Beatson Institute. Over the past five years, cancer research UK has spent over £188 million on research funding in Scotland across seven university research centres, contributing to Scotland's vibrant and productive life sciences sector. Despite that, there is a lot more to do. There are cancers that are difficult to diagnose with vague or nonspecific symptoms, including pancreas, liver, brain, esophageal and stomach cancer. Over 9,000 Scots are diagnosed with one of those less survivable cancers every year. Sadly, only 16% of people diagnosed will survive for five years. The reason for that is the late presentation. We need to raise awareness of these less survivable cancers and their symptoms with the public. They encourage people to see their GPs if they are worried. I support the motion proposed by Jackie Baillie today. I congratulate all those engaged in cancer research and fundraising and recognise the importance of providing patients and their families with high quality information, advice and support. To end, I just want to say one to anyone watching. If you or someone you know has the odd symptom, something new, wake loss or a lump, bleeding, please come forward and see your doctor. It could just save your life. I thank Jackie Baillie for securing this important debate and highlighting World Cancer Day 2022 on 4 February. The annual debate is important to continue the mental society of one of the greatest challenges that we face as a society and that is finding a cure for cancer. I would like to pay tribute to Cancer Research UK for their 20th birthday and thank them for everything that they have done over that period. Undoubtedly, cancer survival rates have increased and that certainly is no mean feat. Every cancer survivor has the strongest story to tell and can also be an inspiration to others. However, the greatest part of their story is going on to live the fullest possible life that they can. Yesterday, I met virtually with Pan-Creatic Cancer UK and indicated that once we get into an even better position regarding the global pandemic, I would like to see world governments redouble their efforts to help to find a cure for cancer. The pace and finance that is provided globally to help to find vaccines and to help to deal with Covid-19 shows that where there is a will, there is a way. The vaccines are helping to deal with Covid, but thus far it will not eradicate it. So who knows what the future will actually bring in this particular regard, but cancer is a wide and varied illness and despite all the magnificent efforts and huge amount of finance over many, many years, it still hasn't been solved. This in my opinion shows exactly how great this challenge is and that it really is an unfinished business. The motion highlights this year's theme of closing the care gap. I have received various briefings for today's debate and I want to quote from Macmillan. I quote, "...the most recent cancer incidents, cancer staging and cancer mortality statistics all show that if you live in a more deprived area, you are more likely to have cancer for it to be diagnosed at a later stage and you are more likely to die from your cancer." Jackie Baillie earlier quoted the Macmillan support line and I'm going to do that as well, so I think the more people who actually make sure that this number is out there the better, so that the support line is 08, 08, 808, 0, 0, 0, 0. Macmillan also published analysis which showed that 87 per cent of people with cancer in Scotland experienced some kind of financial impact from their diagnosis and for those affected, that reaches an average of £1,000 a month on top of their usual expenditure. One in three people with cancer in Scotland are severely financially affected by their diagnosis and more than three quarters of people with cancer, 78 per cent experienced a loss of income. As the MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, which has an industrial legacy in addition to some of the most economically challenging areas in the country, as highlighted by our position with SIMD data zones, the challenge facing many of my constituents will be all too clear for many. People working in our industrial past have faced many challenges over the years, particularly when it comes to asbestos related health matters. This Parliament has acted to help people and I look forward to the future publication of the Scottish Law Commission's discussion paper on damages for personal injury. That has already been an issue that has been touched upon and a constituent has written to me about. I certainly hope that this paper provides the positive basis on which we can, as a Parliament, provide greater services and support to people in the future. The last two years have affected every aspect of society and I welcome the introduction of the cancer plan recovery and redesign and action plan for cancer services. Society clearly has a lot to catch up with as a consequence of the last two years and cancer patients are no different. Every MSP will have a close link or relationship with either a cancer survivor or someone who sadly lost their right. Despite the pain and loss that cancer has brought, I am grateful for all the time and happy lifelong memories. I have all the great times and fun along those years. For me, cancer is the challenge ahead and I know that if we can improve survival rates, we can ensure that many more people create many more memories and also the life-changing experiences. That really is a fight that is worth fighting for. Once again, I thank Jackie Baillie for securing this important debate. I thank Jackie Baillie for securing this debate and for her work in subsequent parliaments to ensure that cancer, particularly in terms of diagnosis, treatment and holistic support, remains firmly on the agenda. I am pleased to be able to speak in this debate as we mark world cancer day this coming Friday. Many of us will have been impacted by cancer in our own lives whether through a personal experience of the illness or walking with a family member or friend through it. I think that the contributions already this evening show how deeply personal this debate is for so many colleagues. Indeed, cancer is the leading cause of death in Scotland. Around 34,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year. It is important that we take this opportunity to reflect on progress made and look at what needs to be done, particularly in our Covid context, to move forward in our shared aspiration to speed up progress and see three in four people surviving the disease by 2034. That is cancer research UK's ambition. I thank them for their briefing and support of tonight's debate and for their work in highlighting world cancer day, along with countless other charities, some of whom I will talk about later in my contribution and some who have been referenced by colleagues. As we have heard already, the theme of world cancer day 2022 is close the care gap, focusing on understanding and recognising the inequalities in cancer care around the globe. For many of the most marginalised in our society, their chances of getting cancer and their experience in outcomes of cancer are worse because of factors and circumstances beyond their control. As we know, here in Scotland, mortality rates for all cancers combined are 74 per cent higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived, and the past few years have exacerbated the challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Waiting time statistics show that too many people are waiting too long for cancer treatment. Only 83 per cent of patients on an urgent referral for the suspicion of cancer started treatment within 62 days. The target is 95 per cent. While some of those weights are due to backlogs and additional Covid-19 measures, cancer services were struggling pre-pandemic, and shortages in staff and equipment mean that cancer waiting time targets have been missed for years. Just last week in this chamber, I raised with the First Minister the issue of delays in my own region with cancer surgery and the need for a dedicated cancer plan. As we have heard tonight, this is a deeply personal thing for so many people. I think that the worry that was described by other colleagues is what motivates this. I do hope that the cabinet secretary will hear those calls and will be able to respond certainly in his closing remarks. Thank you very much. I really appreciate you taking intervention. We have heard about inequalities and being in a rural area also brings its challenges with cancer treatment. It is also important that we have that care network around about you when you are receiving treatment. With your permission, I will take the opportunity and intervention to call on the cabinet secretary to, as a matter of urgency, look at the situation in Dumfries and Galloway, where people in Srinar are still expected to travel to Edinburgh for cancer treatment, where there are far closer facilities in Glasgow and the effect that that has on the budgets of family and also losing that community around it. It is a lamentable situation, and I call on you to urgently look at the situation in which people are potentially having less good outcomes because of that position that they have held. Thank you Mr Carson and Mr O'Kane. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I do hope that Finlay Carson will repay that kindness at some point in the future. Jackie Baillie made the point about rural provision as well in her remarks. I know that colleagues across the chamber recognise the need for those sorts of facilities to be in place, so I am sure that the cabinet secretary will have more to say on that. In my remaining time, I want to highlight the work of blood cancer charities in Scotland. I may repeat some of what Jackie Baillie said in relation to that, but, as a shadow minister and her team, she usually assures me that repeating what she says is absolutely the way to go, so that is fine. I think that it is clear—I met with the Blood Cancer Alliance and what they articulated quite clearly—that blood cancers are often misunderstood and underdiagnosed and can often feel like the Cinderella service in terms of cancer care. Awareness of blood cancer symptoms and care and treatment remains limited in relation to solid tumour cancers. On focusing on our theme today of closing gaps in care, it is clear that, as the NHS continues its recovery from Covid-19, it is important that we see parity of care and resources given to blood cancers. I think that that is a critical factor in improving all cancer patient outcomes in Scotland, and that would include improvements to diagnosis, pathology services, patient support and the NHS workforce. I believe that that would have long-lasting benefits to the entire healthcare system. Again, I hope that the cabinet secretary might address some of that in closing, but he might be busy in his closing speech given Felly Carson's intervention, but I am sure that he will write to me or we will have an opportunity in the future to go into more detail on that. In concluding, Deputy Presiding Officer, on this World Cancer Day, as we continue to enter the new reality of life with Covid, we must put cancer diagnosis, research and treatment at the heart, and I think that that is what those living with cancer and their families expect. Thank you very much, Mr O'Kane. It is to warn you that Ms Bailey may be luring you down a dangerous path there, but next it is Emma Harper to be followed by Beatrice Wishart for around four minutes, please. I am pleased to be speaking in this debate and I congratulate Jackie Baillie on securing it. The theme of World Cancer Day, as others have mentioned this year for 2022, is close the care gap. It is about understanding and recognising inequalities in cancer care around the globe and for lobbying for improved outcomes and equal treatment for all persons with cancer. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has a commitment to improve cancer services across our country, including establishing a new fast-track diagnostic cancer centre at DJI in Dumfries. Obviously, the Covid pandemic has and is having a direct impact on cancer services and I look to see how that can be improved as we move forward out of the pandemic. However, we do not have to look too far for home to find inequality in cancer care. There are some patients not receiving equal treatment in my South Scotland region and I am pleased that my colleague has highlighted issues that I am about to address. In Dumfries and Galloway, 1,135 people currently live with cancer and there are around 530 people who lose their lives to cancer each year. Because Dumfries and Galloway is a large rural region, if it can be in the east, Carconel in the north, Stranraer in the west and Whithorn in the south, Mackers, we also have many challenges with the delivery of cancer services. Since my election, I have been actively lobbying for change to current cancer pathway arrangements for the region. Currently, although we in DNG are in the south west of Scotland or not in the west of Scotland cancer network, NHS Dumfries and Galloway is part of the south east Scotland cancer network, which means that patients particularly in the west of the region and Wigtonshire, who often require more complex treatments and radiotherapy, often must travel north east to Edinburgh for treatment. This is a 260-mile round trip from Stranraer, which can cause distress and discomfort and can exacerbate the effects of the negative effects of cancer treatment. After continuous campaigning from local residents, elected members and colleagues across the chamber, I myself, for the last five years, and the Galloway community hospital action group, which includes one campaigner who has highlighted this issue for more than a decade, in 2019, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, agreed to change the current arrangements so that a more flexible approach is focused on patient choice for treatment destination that that could be made for people. However, constituents are concerned that very little progress has been made and that patients are still being asked to travel to Edinburgh and not given or even being offered a choice to go to Glasgow for radiotherapy and other treatment. I understand the pressures that the pandemic has caused, but this is a matter that is long-standing and is one that former health secretary said she would help to improve. Similarly, in July last year, I was told by the current health secretary that NHS Dumfries and Galloway cancer pathway arrangements would be addressed as part of the modernising patient pathways programme, which is being undertaken by the Scottish Government. I have been able to speak with a few people in order to progress that, but I have not had any response back from the modernising patient pathways programme, and I am continuing to do that. Therefore, I ask the cabinet secretary for a commitment that I will receive an update on the work that has been undertaken regarding cancer pathway arrangements across NHS Dumfries and Galloway. I also ask the Scottish Government to impress on the health board the importance of this work on cancer pathways being carried out immediately so that patients in the south-west of Scotland can have a choice offered to them to have treatment in Glasgow or Edinburgh, whichever is preferred by the patients. In closing, Presiding Officer, I welcome this debate, the work that the Scottish Government has taken forward, and the first-track cancer diagnostic centre that has been opened in Dumfries, and I reiterate the need for action for equality for cancer pathways for patients across D&G. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you to Jackie Baillie for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I want to first start by congratulating an impressive fundraising achievement in the community that I am proud to represent. Last Tuesday night should have been the biggest event in Shetland's annual community events, and of course it was cancelled because of Covid, but members decided to take a continuous overnight relay for 12 hours around Lerwick to raise funds for cancer research UK relay for life, and those efforts have raised more than £13,000 for CRUK. To raise such a sum in a small community, I think, demonstrates the strength of feeling and support for CRUK in Shetland. Covid has had a large impact on community events, but it has also significantly impacted fundraising for charities such as CRUK. There has also been a fall in diagnosis of cancers in recent years, and as the motion highlights, one in two people will get cancer in their lifetime, and we all know someone. I have been urging those eligible to go for the cervical screenings after reports of a fall in Shetland and across Scotland. What cancer research UK has done over its 20 years has been a great amount of awareness raising, and consequently it has saved lives. I want to take this opportunity to say that, if you notice changes in yourself or your body that you are concerned about, please get it checked out. The NHS and your GP are there for you. As Christine Grahame said, don't delay. Every year in Scotland around 1,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours, and around 470 people in Scotland die from brain tumours every year. I am wearing my cancer research UK bracelet on my jacket, but I am also wearing my wear a hat day pin to help to find a cure for brain tumours. It is a cancer charity—brain tumour research is a cancer charity that I hold particularly close to my heart. Before the lockdown measures in March 2020, I was set to host an event here in Parliament with brain tumour research, and the charity was going to launch its manifesto. Together we will find a cure and march us brain tumour awareness month. The manifesto was going to call on the Scottish Government to invest more in brain tumour research to improve patient experience and outcomes and to drive improvements in patient experience across NHS Scotland. I wanted to sponsor that event because it highlights health inequities, but also because a member of my family has faced a brain tumour diagnosis. Like any cancer diagnosis, nothing prepares you for it. It is when you are faced with it, though, that you start to look at the start data. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer and are the chief cause of cancer deaths in children and young people. Only 12 per cent of brain tumour patients survive beyond five years of their diagnosis, with less than 20 per cent of those diagnosed surviving beyond five years. The comparison is with 70 per cent of breast cancer and over 40 per cent of leukemia patients surviving beyond five years. There has been a historic underfunding of research into brain tumours with just one per cent of the national spend on cancer research allocated to brain tumours according to brain tumour research. In closing, I urge us to work together to support the organisations of cancer research UK, brain tumour research and other valuable cancer charities to close the care gap. I thank Jackie Baillie for bringing this debate forward. Just over two weeks time, I'll turn 55. I want to mention that because that was the age we lost my brother Andy to... I'm like in a brain tumour. 55 was far too young. He had already achieved some amazing things in his life and he absolutely loved it to the full but he still had very much more to do and so time is the important thing I want to talk about here. At the end of the day we all die one way or another. Immortality is not an option but the time we have on this earth the quality of the life that we lead, the personal goals we set and conquer, the people that we get to touch and our time are the things that we can judge in our life those are the important bits and Andy's case he was absolutely taken too young but in reality there are things that we can be thankful for. He was diagnosed with this tumour 15 years before it ended his life and for at least 13 of them he lived every moment of it. It's not too many years ago as Beatrice pointed out that he wouldn't have survived more than two or three years at most but for the genius of the surgeons who gave him the operation to remove most of the tumour or the chemo it gave him another five years or the radiotherapy which extended his life even further but for the care and the attention of the fabulous team at the Beats in Glasgow who guided him from the very beginning and gave him every chance and every option his illness could have been much worse because what they gave him was that precious precious time even when he knew his time was coming to an end he was fortunate enough to have a place in the Cornwall hospital in Perth where the care the respect and the dignity that they gave him and us was beyond words. He died as good at death as we could have hoped for and for that all of us who knew him and got to spend time with him can be truly thankful and it's for those reasons that I'm intending to climb Kilimanjaro with a group of his friends and colleagues later this year to raise funds for the Cornwall Hospice as a tribute to Andy but as a recognition of the utterly selfless amazing work the people who work here do but my real point is this we have made huge strides in cancer care it's not what was the death sentence we once feared it was and there is undoubtedly hope now that we didn't have before and even when cancer does win if we can give people more time just like Andy those precious days weeks and months of years and years are invaluable there is no doubt there is much more that we can and must do and try to deal with cancer and some of the groundbreaking work done here in Scotland is fabulous the new early diagnosis centres are to be welcomed and the sooner they are rolled out across the country the better because my colleague Christine said early diagnosis is so important the elective treatment unit that has been built in the PRI will be transformational and allowing patients to be treated more quickly and effectively right across the day side and again the sooner that has completed the better cancer treatment cancer care cancer management are areas that all of us in this chamber right across the society can unite behind and since coming into this place one of the things I have struggled to square in my own thinking is the big picture stuff I get is legislators we've got to look at the big picture we've got to discuss details and budgets and statistics but where my mind always goes to is who the individuals are that we are affecting there's somebody's mum their granny their auntie their uncle their brother their sister a wife or a husband sons and daughters and they matter to everyone who knows and loves them so therefore they matter to us in this chamber so we should all try and do the very best we can and making sure that those who are affected by cancer get the same help support and care and dignity as Andy did as we would want for ourselves or for anyone of our loved ones thank you well done Mr Felly and I'm best of luck up Kilimanjaro I'm conscious at this stage that there are many members who've pressed their buttons and wish to speak take note Mr Carson and therefore I'm looking to have a motion without notice to extend the debate by up to half an hour under rule 8.14.3 and I invite Jackie Baillie to move such a motion happy to move the motion Presiding Officer thank you miss Baillie I would invite the chamber to agree to that motion are we all agreed thank you very much indeed and with that we move on to the next speaker who is Gillian Mackay will be followed by Marie McNair up to four minutes please Mr Mackay thank you deputy Presiding Officer I too would like to thank Jackie Baillie for bringing this debate to the chamber today as well as those organisations who have provided briefings my thoughts are with everyone who's lost a loved one to cancer who's going through treatment and those who live with the worry that their cancer will return as has been noted the theme of this year's world cancer day is close the care gap the theme is timely as the pandemic has highlighted the health inequalities which still blight Scotland and impact cancer outcomes according to a report published by public health Scotland cancer mortality rates are 78% higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived incidences of cancer are also 34% higher in the most deprived areas people living in deprived areas are more likely to get cancer and less likely to survive these horrifying statistics are a reminder of the lack of progress we've made towards tackling health inequalities some of the main causes of cancer include alcohol consumption smoking poor nutrition and diet lack of physical activity and air pollution but as Christine Grahame pointed out cancer knows no class we know that people living in deprived areas are more likely to be affected by these we heard from the minister for public health women's health and sport at the health social care and sport committee this morning about the extent to which inequality is a driver of poor health we need to ensure everyone has timely access to cancer diagnosis and treatment but we must also address the root causes of cancer which means reducing poverty the pandemic is placed enormous pressure on cancer services and we know the workforce issues in waiting times were impacting cancer care before Covid it's vital that we build the workforce to enable the NHS to work through the backlog of care that has built up over the last two years the earlier cancer is diagnosed the more chances of survival are improved I don't think anyone could do more justice to how that feels than Christine Grahame did earlier cancer diagnosis involves a range of tests in a specialist workforce cancer research UK has highlighted shortages of staff across radiology radiography pathology and endoscopy Macmillan estimates that if the number of specialist cancer nurses stays at current levels the gap in the number of specialist cancer nurses in Scotland by 2030 will be 348 I recognise that the Scottish Government has published its cancer recovery plan and that a new health and social care workforce strategy is forthcoming cancer research UK is calling for the strategy to include both short term and long term actions that will ensure we have the right staff in place to detect, diagnose and treat cancer and I'd welcome any comments from the cabinet secretary on that in their briefing for today's debate Macmillan highlighted the financial impact on people who are diagnosed with cancer according to their analysis 87 percent of people with cancer in Scotland experience some kind of financial impact from their diagnosis and a third are severely financially affected I'm sure we all agree that no one should be financially penalised for being diagnosed with a health condition but for too many people this is the reality of living with cancer financial penalties come in many forms not just from reduced earnings figures provided by Macmillan reveal 47 percent of people with cancer in Scotland see an increase in day-to-day living costs 26 percent experience extra costs of travelling to and from their appointments and 19 percent see their household fuel bills rise Macmillan has a support line which many people have already said but it's available seven days a week 80 a.m. till 8 p.m. on 08 08 808 00 00 for anyone who has anxiety or concerns about their cancer diagnosis including financial worries I would welcome any comments from the cabinet secretary about what more the government can do to practically support people who have been diagnosed with cancer I'd like to echo my colleagues across the chamber to attend your screening appointments from personal experience they are never as scary as you think they are and our incredible nurse practitioners will be able to answer questions and certainly put me more at ease if you can also get your HPV vaccine there's now a whole generation who are less likely to develop cervical cancer as a result of this vaccine I'd like to end by noting that this world cancer day also marks 20 years since cancer research UK was formed I want to thank all of those at cancer research UK who are working so hard to raise awareness and improve outcomes for people with cancer I know that I found their expertise and knowledge incredibly useful during my time in parliament so far and I'm sincerely grateful to them thank you Mr Mackay and our call on Marie McNair to be followed by Miles Briggs for around four minutes please thank you Presiding Officer I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak in this important debate and I thank Jackie Bailey for securing it unfortunately everyone in this chamber knows someone that will be affected by cancer in some form be that a personal diagnosis or that of a partner family member or friend according to the NHS research Scotland every year about 30,000 people in Scotland are totally of cancer and trends predict that this number is likely to rise to almost 40,000 by 2027 the impact of a cancer diagnosis is devastating for many and it's vitally important that we get services back on track and maximise the support that is an offer to those with cancer and their families we must then use it as a platform to transform the services and offer so that we improve it beyond previous levels of our cancer plan I am pleased to take time in this debate to praise the excellent work of McMillan cancer care and thank them for the briefing they've provided us for this debate I welcome what McMillan are doing with the Scottish Government through transforming cancer care partnership this will ensure that by 2023 Scotland will be the first country in the UK where every cancer patient has access to a key support worker and gets dedicated financial practical and emotional support I know from a previous job as part of the nursing team at the Somardic of Scotland hospice my constituency the full impact cancer has on the physical, mental and financial welfare of those with a diagnosis with inequality being a driver the financial impact of cancer must not be ignored McMillan advised that 87% of people with cancer in Scotland experience some kind of financial impact from the diagnosis so this kind of holistic support package is essential if we're going to provide the best help at a time of greatest need I also take this opportunity to highlight the work of the Beatson cancer charity in the way that the support knows affected by cancer every step of the way they do brilliant work at the Beatson and in the hearts of our communities over the last 20 years the majority of cancers have shown improvements of vital rates five years post diagnosis we know that cancer that is diagnosed at an early stage is more likely to be perceived successfully almost all women diagnosed with breast cancer at the early stage for instance survive their disease for at least five years with the positive screening appointments due to Covid it has become even more imperative that the most vulnerable receive the invitations as soon as possible we must also fully understand why many do not attend their appointments it's not enough to simply urge people to attend appointments we need to understand any unexpected barriers or misinformation that may be in place that needs addressing in a recent debate to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer I shared the experiences of my constituents who sadly did not get an early enough diagnosis of their cancer the heartbreaking experience of my constituents highlighted the need for early diagnosis and they need to have access to effective and compassionate care when it's needed most Presiding officer in conclusion for this world cancer day let us unite around a cancer plan that gets beyond Covid a plan that does more than pick up from where we left off and one that lets us reduce the barriers fueled by poverty and inequality and one that helps to save lives thank you very much Ms McNair and I call Miles Briggs to be followed by Siobhan Brown for again around four minutes. Thank you very much Deputy Presiding Officer and as the co-convener of the Parliament's cross-party group on cancer I'd like to very much congratulate Jackie Baillie on securing this debate this evening and also for the work that she's done in parliament over 20 years campaigning on health issues and I'd also like to thank those organisations as others have today who have provided really useful briefings ahead of today's debate and specifically to thank Cancer Research UK who have supported the Parliament's cross-party group for over 20 years as our secretary at. As a member of that cross-party group and I'm sure like many new members I've really enjoyed as co-convener over the last session the work which we've done but the impact which a pandemic has had on cancer I think is one of my greatest concerns because we have seen cuts to research projects we have seen cuts to patient trials and we have seen the huge amount of work which is going on across Scotland and the UK to support people living with cancer and their families set back and undermined in many cases and the impact of the pandemic on cancer services and outcomes I don't think can be underestimated we need to rededicate ourselves to try to turn that around because as has already been said around 34,000 of our fellow Scots will be diagnosed with cancer every year and that number is expected to reach over 40,000 by 2027. It's been estimated that over 650,000 patients across the UK have had treatment disrupted during Covid and that we know that that's had a profound impact on cancer services as well. Early diagnosis of cancer in Scotland for example with screening programmes paused and a fall in urgent referrals from GPs cancer prevention measures with reduced service capacity and delays to planned legislation cancer treatment with surgery delayed or cancelled and staff shortages and the care of patients with many experiencing very poor mental wellbeing and limited provision of the holistic support services which we've all campaigned to see improved. As Jackie Baillie outlined it's clear that staffing is a significant issue we need to focus all our attention on if we're going to see a proper recovery and the Scottish Government I believe must develop that plan early and resource that early if we're going to meet the targets now but also in the future and the design of new services which we should be focusing on as well. It should be a serious concern I think for all of us that Cancer Research UK has actually now estimated as Jackie Baillie touched upon that survival rates are going to go backwards potentially for the first time in decades if we do not see action to address backlogs and deliver the workforce we need. That would be absolutely disastrous and it's one thing which I hope all of us can be united in wanting to see us all dedicate ourselves to make sure that doesn't happen. I've consistently raised issues around my concerns for example with regards to the breast screening programme in Scotland not being fully recovered and spoken out about the fact that women over 70 can still not self refer into the breast screening programme. I hope that's something the cabinet secretary can update the chamber on as he closes tonight's debate but in the time that I have left I want to talk about the future because I think that's what we should all be looking towards. Jackie Baillie said that we should resolve not to go backwards and I absolutely agree and I wanted to talk about a piece of work which many campaigners have been doing during the pandemic. A lot of people who work in the cancer community have not let the pandemic get in the way of what they want to do and I wanted to highlight a constituent of mine, Jen Hardy, who was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer back in October 2017. Many people in the chamber will have met Jen, she's been campaigning for many years to improve opportunities for people and during the pandemic she's developed a thing called cancer card and I'd recommend members go in google and lookup cancercard.org.uk which has looked at how we change and provide the information people need when they're diagnosed with cancer to give people the information they're desperately looking for. I hope that the Government will look at some of this work which has gone on because there is a lot of positives which have taken place during the pandemic as well so just to conclude Deputy Presiding Officer I hope on this world cancer day that we genuinely can send out a message of hope and a call to action to the global cancer community to come together and for all of us once again to focus on working together to beat cancer. Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr Briden and I call on Siobhan Brown to be followed by Carl Mokhan again around four minutes. Thank you Presiding Officer and I'd like to thank Jackie Baillie for bringing this debate to the chamber and also the passionate heartfelt contributions from other members this evening. As we've heard the theme for world cancer day is close the care gap. This is about recognising and understanding the inequalities of cancer care around the world which can cost lives. We know that every one of us has the ability to make a difference large or small for the people and families who are affected by cancer. Only by working together we can reduce the global impact that cancer has. I recently had the privilege of meeting staff from Ayrshire Cancer Support which is a charity in Ayrshire that works tirelessly to provide emotional support and practical help to cancer patients and their loved ones. The charity provides a number of free services including hospital transport providing transport to close to 14,000 people from Ayrshire in the year 2019 to 2020 as over 80% of people have to travel to the beats and in Glasgow. The charity also offers counselling, carers groups and specialist information and support. I'd like to express my gratitude and admiration with truly outstanding work that they do. However, the charity does face its struggles, particularly involving applying for local and national funding. It was previously possible for charities like Ayrshire Cancer Support to apply directly to the Scottish Government for funds. Under the new system charities must apply through the local third sector interfaces that distribute funding. This result in this charity having to apply to three separate times to each different local authority in Ayrshire, each with its own processes, timescales and criteria. To add to that, Ayrshire Cancer Support does not meet the national and regional criteria to access a Scottish Government's cancer recovery fund or the pain management fund, as they are viewed as two local organisations to access those funds. Under the system of the local third sector, they fear that they are considered too large an organisation to receive funds at the local level. If we have any hope of closing the cancer care gap, we have to make it easier for organisations such as Ayrshire Cancer Support to provide all the care that they do. We must help them and not hinder them. Without their work, health inequalities would rise as patients would struggle to get to hospital for the treatment that they need. I'd ask the cabinet secretary to look into this funding discrepancy with charities such as Ayrshire Cancer Support. Someone who knows how important this service is is Hailey Laurie, who tragically lost her mum to cancer. Hailey will camp overnight at Air Race Course to raise funds for Ayrshire Cancer Support, who provided help with transport, mobility and counselling. I'm sure that you'll join me in wishing Hailey the very best of luck with her big camp out. I also want to share the work of one of my constituents, Gabby Williamson, from Ayr. Gabby sadly lost her dad to oesophagal cancer in June 2020 when she was just 19 years old, and her mum Victoria is currently battling breast cancer. After the death of her father, Gabby found herself in a situation that even the strongest of us would be hit hard with, never mind a 19-year-old. Not knowing exactly how to deal with her emotions, Gabby started an Instagram Let's Blether blog, in which she could freely express her feelings and find support for other young people who found themselves in similar situations. Realising the number of young people who struggled with grief, Gabby set up a fantastic initiative called the Let's Blether box. The box contains a range of items, including practical advice and support strategies for children and parents, a journal, seeds to plant, flowers in the memory of a loved one and a memory jar, and a lot of other things. With the backing of South Ayrshire Council, the Let's Blether bereavement box has been distributed to young people in South Ayrshire who are experiencing grief or loss. Gabby's younger sister Poppy, who is only 10, has started another initiative called Little Blethers to reach out to the younger community who are going through long-term grief. Gabby's mum Victoria told me that we sadly live with cancer every day in our household. It comes in many different guises, whether it is physical, emotional, financial or practical management. We also deal on the bereavement side of it on a daily basis, all of which Ayrshire Cancer Support has been a great help with living with cancer and all the challenges that it brings. I believe that one day we will be able to see a world that is cancer free, but it is not going to happen without people like Gabby, Poppy and the volunteers at Ayrshire Cancer Support who dedicate their time to go their extra mile and providing care and hope for all those who face many struggles and hardships of cancer. While cancer is an awful disease, it is hard to deny that it can bring out the very best in people and draw us closer together as we fight to close the cancer care gap and see a cancer free world. I thank my fellow Scottish Labour colleague Jackie Baillie for bringing this debate to the chamber, and I could not rise to say something in her member's debate. The theme of World Cancer Day 2022 is to close the care gap about understanding and recognising the inequalities in cancer care around the world. I am sure that people will agree that I am not shy at raising the inequalities in prevention care and access to treatments when I come to the chamber. Health inequalities in Scotland and across the globe are very real. For many of the most marginalised in our society, the chances of getting cancer and the experience and outcomes of cancer are worse because of factors and circumstances beyond their control. The key to reducing cancer and cancer inequalities is acknowledging and dealing with the root causes that blight many of our communities. Across Scotland we know that the most deprived populations have worse experiences and outcomes than those in least deprived areas. Recently, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic shone a light on health inequalities and their devastating impacts. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in so many ways, but one of the most concerning impacts has been the reduction in cancer diagnosis at an early stage. Staff shortages, pressures on the NHS, long GP waiting times, among a whole host of other factors, has contributed to figures that Cancer Research UK recently called devastating. In Scotland we have to act with purpose to reverse those concerning factors, resume early detection and give those who have cancer the best chance of life. In the short time that I have in the chamber today, I want to mention cervical cancer. Yesterday I met with a nurse from Comarnac. She has many years of experience supporting women with health screening and family planning. She talked me through the aspects of women health and in particular factors that may hamper people coming forward for screening. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and successfully treatable forms of cancer if it is detected and diagnosed early and managed effectively. It is an essential way in this chamber to ensure that screening services are accessed and accessible. In my discussions last night with nurse Kenyon, it was clear that encouraging and explaining the procedures to women is important. If women understand their bodies and what is happening, they are more likely to attend. We should encourage all people who meet the criteria for screening to ask questions. Our wonderful NHS staff are more than happy to walk people through what will be happening to them and the benefits associated with it. However, I would again bring the attention of the chamber to the health inequalities that underpin survival rates for cancer. It is again the case in Scotland that, according to Public Health Scotland, increasing deprivation links to poorer survival rates for cancer—we have heard that in the chamber—is unjust and unfair in 2021-22. Scotland remains the case, and much more work needs to be done to address the clear health, social and economic inequalities that mean that a person's postcode can come between a stronger or weaker chance of survival from deadly diseases. In my closing moments, I know that everyone in the chamber wants to see the awareness and outcomes from cancer improved. I thank them for their contributions and for all the work that they do. I thank Jackie Baillie again for bringing the debate, and I applaud World Cancer Day and the work of Cancer Research UK. I hope that we all go on to work as hard as we can to eliminate cancer from society. I thank Jackie Baillie and I am grateful that we are debating her motion commemorating this Friday's World Cancer Day. Like all of you, I hope and pray for a day when humankind will find a way to defeat cancer in all its types. Cancer is still probably one of the most dreaded words in the English language. I do not know how it feels to be told of a diagnosis of any type of cancer, at least not yet, but I have sat beside the person that I love most in the whole world, as she was told that she had cancer. As I looked into her face, I felt more hopeless and useless at that moment than I had ever felt in my life to that point and since. It is a moment, Deputy Presiding Officer, that is frozen in time for me. I did not know what to say or what to do. We held hands and we both trembled, but help came. The consultant and everyone at the Beatson provided much-needed medical treatment, but more especially the freely dispensed hope, laced with gentle kindness. Now, an effective cancer screening programme and a speedy callback and diagnosis make all the difference. Colleagues have spoken eloquently of that tonight and in terms of expertise that I cannot muster, but I would simply echo everything that has been said during this debate. I also urge everyone who receives the call to take part in the cancer screening programme to please do it, to take up that invitation, to please go. I hope that the cabinet secretary is moving heaven and earth to ensure that all the cancer screening programmes in Scotland are quickly back to full strength. I hope that people who missed out due to the coronavirus restrictions get their screening and get the diagnosis and, most importantly, the treatment that they need and quickly. This world cancer day coming up is a day where we, collectively as parliamentarians, elected representatives of the people of Scotland, should redouble our efforts to ensure that that screening takes place and that that diagnosis is as early as possible. It is literally a matter of life and death. Thank you very much indeed, Mr Kerr. I now call on the cabinet secretary to respond to the debate for a generous seven minutes. Thank you very much, deputy planning officer. I thank as his customary start by thanking Jackie Baillie sincerely for bringing this debate to the Parliament and allowing and facilitating such a good debate by members from right across the chamber. Members in particular who have shared their personal stories following on from a very powerful contribution from Stephen Kerr, some excellent contributions right across the chamber, which I will touch upon many of the questions that have been asked and the themes that have been raised. Perhaps I too will start with a personal anecdote, because it is absolutely right, as many members have already said, that one and two of us will be affected by cancer, but there is probably not a single person in this chamber that is not in some way in the shape or form being affected by cancer themselves. We know that there are a couple of our parliamentary colleagues who have had and are still having recent challenges with the cancer diagnosis, who are having treatment, have just completed treatment and, of course, delighted to have some of them back with us in the chamber at this moment. My own story is really about my uncle, my uncle, Azar. He was the cool uncle. We all have them. That is no disrespect to any of my other uncles and aunties. I love them all, but even they would contend that he was the cool uncle. It helped because he was the youngest in the siblings, and they are always the coolest. He says that he is a middle child. They are definitely the coolest. It helped because, in the eternal battle of children versus the grown-ups, he was always on the side of the children. It was always really good to have an ally like him. He was more than an uncle to me. He took me to my first Celtic match. He taught me how to play football. Deputy Prime Minister, you and I have been on the same football team. The deficiencies in my playing are mine alone, not my uncles. He was the one where my mum, when he was taking me to the football mum, said that he was not to have any more junk food. Azar, of course, my uncle just disregarded that order and destruction from my mum. He also helped me train for a half marathon. The only half marathon that I've ever ran in my life when I was raising money for Islamic Leaf. He helped to run with me and train me for the eight weeks prior. When I crossed the finish line at Glasgow Green and keeled over because I had dehydrated and hadn't taken his advice and drunk enough water, he was the one who was picking the medal around my neck. He was an extraordinarily fit individual. He played every sport that you can imagine. You can imagine my shock when I was in a Government visit to Pakistan. My role was minister for external affairs and I got a phone call two in the morning. It's never good news. It was from my sister to tell me that my uncle, who had been complaining about stomach issues for a while, had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I didn't know much about pancreatic cancer, if I knew nothing about pancreatic cancer. Of course, I did what anybody without a clinical background does. I went on to Google and I will never forget the feeling as I doom scrolled down the page on my phone to find any semblance of good news about pancreatic cancer. I'm afraid it was none. I remember that moment and having to do Government visits the next day and really being a hollow shell, I think, of myself. My uncle battled with pancreatic cancer for two and a half years and eventually succumbed to it. Again, I'll never forget that moment. In the Islamic tradition, it was often the children of the deceased that washed the body and prepared the body to lay in a coffin. I was asked to do it with my cousins. I'll never forget washing my uncle to prepare him at seven stones, a man who was a stocky 13, 14 stones prior to his cancer diagnosis. There he was, just skin and bones. I mentioned that story because pancreatic cancer and less-survivable cancers have been raised by many colleagues across the chamber. Dr Gohani spoke very well from a clinical and a human perspective of course about the importance of diagnosis and early diagnosis about less-survivable cancers. Minnie McNair also mentioned pancreatic cancer in her speech. I wanted to just give an absolute commitment from myself personally, but more importantly perhaps is the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care that we will move heaven and earth to ensure that we restore cancer services. It is important to me, but it is important to this Government. It cannot be, I would suggest, the more important priority for the Government, for me, as Cabinet Secretary for Health, to recover and remobilise our NHS and, among that priority, right at the top of that priority pile, that must be the restoration, full restoration, he's right to say, the full restoration of cancer services. For those who are less-survivable cancers, which have been mentioned by many colleagues across the chamber, it is important that the Government works with those third sector organisations to raise awareness of the symptoms. I mentioned some of those that my uncle had when he came to pancreatic cancer. For many other less-survivable cancers, forgive me, those symptoms, I'm afraid, it takes, as I think maybe Jackie Baillie or perhaps one of our colleagues might have said, four or five visits to the GP to then get the referral. By the time you get the referral, of course, like my uncle was told, you're already at stage four. So we must do more. I do hope that the early cancer diagnostic centres, DCDCs, that we have developed right across the country, we are looking at the data of those on a daily basis. Jim Fairlie, what was an excellent, very powerful contribution, I know one that Andy would be very, very proud of indeed, spoke about looking forward to seeing those roll-out, that I promise him we are exploring that. Of course, we want to see the early data from those early cancer diagnostic centres. What I would say to colleagues is that we obviously have the national cancer plan, but the national cancer plan is not a document that is just to lie on a shelf. It is backed by £114.5 million of investment. The point about inequalities is so well made by every single member. I won't rehearse the statistics because they have been well articulated in this debate about the unacceptable care gap. That is a theme, of course, of all cancer this Friday. That unacceptable inequality gap is one that we are determined to not just narrow, but to close and to eliminate. Some of the money that we have provided already is going directly targeted to where that inequality exists most obviously. I can give more details to any members who wish to do so. I am, of course, running over time. There are lots of issues that I could talk about, I will say, from a screening perspective. I am happy to have meetings with members around the over-70s self-refero. Our concern at the moment is that, if we were to resume that, that would be at the detriment of those who are at the highest risk because of the current issues that we have around capacity. However, the challenge from Miles Briggs, from members across the chamber, who regularly raise the issue with me, is to get that resumed as quickly as possible. I promise them that there is no delay from our behalf. I will end by saying that our workforce is incredibly important. There are challenges and, amongst the workforce, I am the first to absolutely admit that. We have made strides, of course, but I promise the chamber here that we will redouble our efforts, particularly where there are some shortages in medical oncologists. Those are felt most acutely at the moment at NHS Tayside, but our issues are right across the entire country. Let me thank Jackie Baillie again and colleagues right across the chamber for raising some exceptionally important points. I will end by saying that, in fact, on any issue, but in particular on this issue, my door is always open so that we can close work together to close that cancer care gap that unacceptably exists around the country. Thank you very much indeed, cabinet secretary. Whatever your football deficiencies, I know you can lay claim because I was there to see it. The fact that you scored a goal at Celtic Park, a fact that I am sure is of enormous pride to your uncle, but that closes the debate and I close this session apartment.