Birmingham remains in the running for a proton beam therapy centre after Health Secretary Andrew Lansley unveiled plans to invest up to £150 million in procuring the cutting-edge radiotherapy cancer service.

Mr Lansley, in a speech to the Britain Against Cancer conference, said the establishment of a new National Proton Beam Therapy Service would benefit up to 1,500 patients a year.

Proton therapy uses a precision high-energy beam of particles to destroy cancer cells. It is particularly suitable for complex childhood cancers.

Mr Lansley said: “We want to make sure that cancer services in England are world-class and that NHS patients receive the best quality treatments that are available. This investment will ensure that Britain remains at the cutting edge of the fight against cancer.”

The Secretary of State said the announcement was “great news” for patients, as well as for scientists and academics looking to push boundaries further.

“For too long our cancer survival rates have lagged behind other comparable countries. I am determined that we do everything we can to change that and this new investment will help significantly,” added Mr Lansley.

A Department of Health spokesperson said the Government was considering the use of public capital and assessing the options for financing the new proton service, which would mark a departure from the use of public-private finance initiatives to secure large-scale health projects.

The BBC in the Midlands claimed on Monday 12 December that a decision had already been taken to fund just two proton therapy centres, at the Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH).

But the spokesperson said the Department was continuing to work with three sites as potential providers of the service, which also includes University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB).

“The business case needs to be completed before the Department can determine the final number of facilities and will be subject to approval. A full and robust business case to ensure the service provides value for taxpayer money is currently being developed,” added the spokesperson.