Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference the New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation, published 20 January 2025, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for the construction of the Royal Berkshire Hospital; and what proportion of that funding will be from (a) public dividend capital, (b) land sales and (c) charitable donations.

We have put the New Hospital Programme (NHP) on a sustainable footing, with a timeline that can be met, and a budget that is consistent with the fiscal rules under which the Government is operating. We are backing this plan with investment which will increase to up to £15 billion over each consecutive five-year wave, averaging approximately £3 billion a year from 2030. The exact profile of funding will be confirmed in rolling five-year waves at regular Spending Reviews, as with all government capital budgets in future.

As set out in the NHP Plan for Implementation, the cost estimate of the Royal Berkshire Hospital is expected to be £2 billion or more; however, the final individual amount for the scheme will only be confirmed once its Full Business Case has been approved, as set out in the HM Treasury Green book and is standard for large infrastructure projects. The proportion of funding, including those from additional sources such as land sales and charitable donations, will be confirmed through this business case process.