Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to support NHS services in Newbury, in the context of his Department's review of the New Hospital Programme.

The Government recognises that delivering high quality National Health Services requires the right facilities and support systems in the right places. We understand that investment in capital projects, whether through allocations prioritised locally or through national programmes, is important in achieving this.

We inherited a New Hospital Programme which was delayed and the funding for which ran out in March. We are reviewing it to provide people in Newbury and across the country with a realistic and costed timetable for delivery. Newbury is served by the Royal Berkshire Hospital scheme which is in scope of the review. The review is feeding into the Spending Review process where the Government will confirm the outcome.

Managing the local capital budget for its area and reconfiguring services, which includes addressing estates issues, as well as allocating funds according to local priorities, including investment to support healthcare services, are matters for local NHS organisations. Any future national capital programmes to support NHS organisations delivering local and national priorities will also be considered as part of the Spending Review process.