Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding his Department has allocated to support the safe removal of asbestos from hospitals.

The Government provided £4.2 billion capital last financial year for the National Health Service to support local priorities, including to maintain and refurbish their premises, and a further £8.4 billion will be available over this financial year and next.

NHS England continues to work with trusts to ensure their estates are a safe environment for patients and staff. Where asbestos may pose a safety risk, such as when disturbed during building works, experts are brought in to dispose of it safely.