Delays in the provision of cancer treatment for Richmond upon Thames residents have prompted MP Vincent Cable, for the second time this month, to quiz the prime minister on the matter in parliament.

Dr Vincent Cable, MP for Twickenham used the occasion of being called in Prime Minister's questions to raise the issue of failings in the government's top priority within the NHS cancer treatment.

Dr Cable was moved by the volume of complaints he received from his constituents about delays in the provision of radio therapy treatment at Charing Cross/ Hammersmith Hospital.

He asked the Prime Minister why there were serious delays in treatment even for life threatening cancers labelled the top priority within the government's top priorities'.

Mr Blair, in reply, acknowledged the deficiencies but said that improvements were taking place and new investment being provided.

Dr Cable remarked that much of this investment pledged to cancer treatment had been siphoned off' into other activities like clearing hospital debts.

He said: "The impression I get from constituents is that they are losing patience with promised health improvements that don't seem to materialise.

"They need to know that if they get a very serious illness, like cancer, they will receive prompt and effective treatment and if they are admitted on an emergency basis, they will be seen immediately and not kept for hours on a trolley. We are very far from realising that point."

In reply, Mr Blair said that a report drawing attention to the problem had said in specific terms that cancer services in this country were improving.

He said: "More than 90 per cent of people who are referred to a consultant are now referred within two weeks; the figure was just over 60 per cent when we came to office."

Dr Cable referred to a report by the Royal College of Radiologists explaining why those diagnosed with cancer often have to wait at least two to three weeks for radiotherapy and asked the PM why the government had been so slow to address the issue of retention and recruitment of key staff and why the situation was deteriorating. He was told by the PM that more staff were being trained.