😢 Children and Young People with Cancer

• Clive Jones introduced the topic of welfare support for children and young people with cancer, highlighting the severe emotional, physical, and financial burdens faced by these families.

• Jim Shannon pointed out that 71% of families affected by youth cancer struggle with travel costs to medical appointments, suggesting government support is needed to prevent missed appointments that burden the NHS.

• Clive Jones detailed the financial strain, citing research that shows a cancer diagnosis adds about £700 in monthly costs to families, with a significant drop in household income by over £6,000 yearly. He stressed immediate additional costs for travel, food, and energy from the diagnosis day.

• Sorcha Eastwood shared personal experiences and the role of charities in filling the support gap left by the state, suggesting that the lack of immediate state help worsens an already difficult situation.

• Clive Jones proposed “Hugh’s law,” advocating for immediate financial support of £700 per month from the day of diagnosis to help families cope with the sudden financial burden of cancer treatment.

• Chris Bloore supported the need for immediate financial support, noting that delayed NHS appointments due to cost issues could be alleviated, saving money that could be redirected to support families.

• Lisa Smart highlighted the educational impact on children with cancer, suggesting that early educational support could reduce long-term costs and help maintain some normalcy for these children.

• Bobby Dean emphasized the importance of reducing bureaucratic hurdles to make the cancer treatment process as comfortable as possible for both the child and the family.

• Clive Jones criticized the three-month qualifying period for disability benefits like PIP and DLA, arguing it delays vital financial support for families already struggling with immediate costs post-diagnosis.

• Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, acknowledged the importance of the issue but did not commit to immediate changes like supporting Hugh’s law or eliminating the three-month waiting period. He noted that current benefits contribute to extra costs but do not cover all expenses.

• The debate ended without immediate policy changes announced, with the Minister only committing to keep the issue under review and continue discussions with campaigners.

The parliamentary session on the welfare of children and young people with cancer displays very low levels of disagreement. The debate focused primarily on the challenges faced by families and the inadequacies of current support systems, with multiple members of parliament from various parties (Liberal Democrat, DUP, Alliance, and Labour) expressing agreement on the need for improved financial assistance and the removal of bureaucratic hurdles. Clive Jones, the mover of the motion, emphasized the immediate financial burdens and the delayed support from the government, and his points were reinforced by interventions from other MPs who shared similar concerns and supported the need for reforms such as Hugh’s law. The Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, acknowledged the issues raised and the importance of the topic, although he did not announce changes and highlighted the existing support mechanisms. Despite some mild questioning from Clive Jones, there was no significant contention or opposition to the main points discussed, suggesting a unified stance across the session.