Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average length of time was for (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) NHS Improvement to respond to bids for capital spending in each of the last five years.

The information requested on capital bids received by the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement for capital spending are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

There have been a multitude of capital funds in the last five years varying in value, complexity and outcome objective and NHS England and NHS Improvement are in on-going discussions with trusts about their capital needs and plans.