Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the three letters to hon Members representing Hertfordshire constituencies from the Minister of State Maria Caulfield, dated 6 September 2022, relating to the release of fees totalling £300,000 for planning, surveys and preparation work for West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust buildings, on what date she expects to release the £19.4 million required to commence the enabling works which was requested in October 2021.

All requests for enabling works require business cases, which are subject to the appropriate governance process to ensure effective appraisal and maximum value for taxpayers’ money. Individual funding allocations for enabling works will only be confirmed when the respective business case has been reviewed and agreed. We have received two business cases for a total of £19.4 million for West Hertfordshire NHS Trust, which are now being considered.