Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department provides funding to local NHS organisations to redevelop old cottage hospitals.

The Department does not have specific funding set aside for the redevelopment of old cottage hospitals. The Department provides national funding to schemes that meet the conditions of specific national programmes and operational capital. This operational capital is set by NHS England at integrated care board (ICB) level and deals with the day-to-day capital needs of the National Health Service, including renewal and replacement of plant, Information Technology and equipment, minor building works, and investment to deliver core clinical strategies. Operational capital can be prioritised by ICBs in line with local plans and health strategies, including to redevelop old cottage hospitals if this is considered a local priority.