Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with the NHS England Investment Committee on the time it has taken to review the business case for North Devon District Hospital.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for the new North Devon District Hospital scheme. Following approval of their SOC, they will need to develop their Outline Business Case, and then a Full Business Case, prior to commencing construction as soon as possible, as is usual for large infrastructure projects.

The New Hospital Programme Investment Committee met in November 2024 and considered the business case put forward by the trust for accommodation on the site. However, the committee recommended that the trust address several conditions for approval. We are working with the trust on options to resubmit the case to the committee in December 2024.