Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has received the Strategic Outline Case for the Hospitals Transformation Programme in Shropshire; when his Department is expected to make a decision on that plan; whether consideration of the subsequent full business case will be fast-tracked by his Department; and when he expects the building work to commence at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The Department has received the Strategic Outline Case for the scheme. The case is currently under review and a decision will be made in due course. Once approved, the scheme will progress to the Outline Business Case stage. The business case process is led by the Trust and we will continue to work with them to agree a suitable timetable. Funding will be made available following approval of the Full Business Case. Funding may be made available prior to this where appropriate, such as to support the development of the business case or for early enabling works.