Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the cost of moving children's cancer services for South London and the South East of England to the Evelina.

NHS England is leading the reconfiguration of children’s cancer services for South London and South East England. At a meeting on 14 March 2024, NHS England confirmed their decision that the Principal Treatment Centre should be located at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.

NHS England’s financial impact assessment for the reconfiguration confirmed that the future Principal Treatment Centre would use a £20 million national capital contribution from NHS England, plus a contribution from their local health commissioners of between approximately £11 million to £14 million. The Evelina London option would also use £10 million of grant funding from the trust charity.

NHS England has made clear that as the future provider develops its outline business case and full business case, it will need to continue to demonstrate affordability with mitigations in place for associated risks. These business cases will require NHS England and the Department’s Joint Investment sub-Committee’s approval, before contractor procurement and construction, ahead of the Principal Treatment Centre becoming operational in October 2026.