Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the NHS (General Medical Services – Premises Costs) Directions to support greater investment in sustainability and net zero improvements in GP premises.

The Premises Costs Directions (PCDs) are regulations setting out how improvement of practice premises can be covered by premises improvement grants from the National Health Service, and how general practice (GP) contractors can apply for capital grants via the Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (UMF). UMF funding can support the improvement of practice premises’ lighting, ventilation, and heating installations, including the replacement of other forms of heating by central heating, except where improvements are designed solely to reduce the environmental impact of premises, such as the installation of solar energy systems or the replacement windows, doors, or facades, unless the contractor can satisfy NHS England, acting reasonably, that those improvements provide a net financial benefit to the health service.

The PCDs were reviewed and updated in 2024, with the revised directions allowing commissioners to make larger investments in GPs in a more flexible way and to seek to provide contractors with some reassurance about their premises liabilities.

In 2025/26 we committed to investing £102 million to upgrade GP surgeries across England, through the UMF. We are continuing this by providing £200 million over the next four years, in addition to up to £200 million to support 40 to 50 neighbourhood health centres this Parliament through the refurbishment of existing buildings.