Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Lord Darzi's Independent investigation of the NHS in England, published on 12 September 2024, what steps his Department is taking to support integrated care boards to increase capital expenditure in the primary care estate.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, which means we require world class NHS infrastructure across the entire NHS estate. Beyond hospitals, we know we need the right infrastructure in the right place to deliver on our commitments of creating a true Neighbourhood Health Service and ensuring that patients receive the care they deserve.

At the Autumn Budget, we established a dedicated capital fund of £102 million to deliver approximately 200 upgrades to general practice surgeries across England, supporting improved use of existing buildings and space, boosting productivity, and enabling delivery of more appointments. This funding represents a first step in delivering the additional capital the primary care sector needs. It responds directly to issues highlighted by Lord Darzi’s independent review of the NHS and is the first dedicated national capital fund for primary care since 2020.

The Department and NHS England are working with integrated care boards to prioritise high-impact projects where investment can unlock significant productivity gains and additional usable space from existing buildings. Capital budgets for 2026/27 onwards will be considered through Phase 2 of the Spending Review process, concluding in Spring 2025.