MPs are expected to back the details of Edinburgh MP Scott Arthur's Bill to improve the chances of new treatments for people suffering from rare cancers when it is debated in the Commons on Wednesday, July 2.

The proposed legislation - which would encourage more research into less common forms of the disease so that other people have a better chance of survival - won unanimous support from the Commons after three hours of debate in March.

At today's committee stage, Dr Arthur, Labour MP for Edinburgh South West, will take MPs through his Rare Cancers Bill clause by clause and it is expected they will then vote it through to its Third Reading scheduled for next week, after which it will move to the House of Lords.

Edinburgh South West MP Scott Arthur will take MPs through his BIll clause by clause | parliament

placeholder image — Edinburgh South West MP Scott Arthur will take MPs through his BIll clause by clause | parliament

If it eventually passes, it would initiate a review of “orphan drug” regulations which could incentivise companies to trial existing cancer drugs for treating rare cancers, encouraging life-saving treatments to be trialled in the UK.

Dr Arthur brought the law change forward as a Private Member's Bill after winning a top place in the ballot of MPs for such legislation. The UK Government is backing the Bill and on Monday, Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton announced government funding to allow it to progress.

She told the Commons: "I pay tribute to my honourable friend for bringing forward this important Bill. The Government supports this Bill and is committed to making a real difference for patients with rare cancers."

A “rare cancer” is a type of cancer that affects less than six in 100,000 people. They are often very complex types of tumours and are amongst the deadliest cancers.

Dr Arthur was inspired to take up the issue by the death of his father in law, Ivor Huntchinson, from glioblastoma, in 2018, aged 76. His Bill is supported by a wide range of cancer charities.

And he won the backing of Edinburgh cancer campaigner Kira Noble, who has been fighting her personal battle with the disease for more than a decade. Kira, 21, was diagnosed with aggressive rare cancer neuroblastoma when she was 11 and a pupil at the Capital’s Firrhill High School.

Kira and her family raised £500,000 and travelled to New York for specialised surgery after she was told by NHS surgeons that her abdominal tumour was inoperable. She also had Proton Beam Therapy in New Jersey which was also not available on the NHS.

She also underwent countless rounds of chemotherapy, suffered eight relapses and was nicknamed Kira the Machine because of her resilience.

In March, she said: “Scott's Bill offers real hope to those that are diagnosed with a rare cancer. It is so important that patients, particularly young people, are able to get access to clinical trials here in the UK, and that the Government takes action on tackling these left-behind cancers. It's time for stories like mine to become a thing of the past."

Dr Arthur said: "I never expected to be on this journey with a Private Member's Bill, but the process has been amazing. I'm grateful for the support of 40 charities in helping develop the Bill and progress it through the Commons.

“If it's successful on Wednesday, it should get its final Commons vote next Friday, which will be a huge step forward for people who have rare cancers and for their loved ones."