Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional capital funding is being made available to hospitals affected by changes in PFI rules.

In September 2019 the Government launched a new Health Infrastructure Plan (HIP), which will deliver a long-term, strategic investment in the future of the National Health Service, including a new hospital building programme – through which the Government plans to build 40 new hospitals over the next 10 years.

The full shape of the HIP investment programme will be confirmed when the Department receives a multiyear capital settlement at the next capital review. In the meantime, the Secretary of State has confirmed that there will be opportunities for the NHS to put forward further new hospital projects for the next phases of the programme, and that Trusts should continue developing their plans and priorities for local NHS infrastructure.

In terms of sources of finance, the Government has launched the Infrastructure Finance Review (IFR) that is looking closely at private sector finance for public sector infrastructure. HM Treasury are aiming to publish the National Infrastructure Strategy, including a response to the IFR, at the Budget in March 2020.