Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with NHS England on enabling NHS bodies to retain ownership of land and property that is not needed for healthcare purposes but could potentially derive a rental income.

The Government is committed to ensuring that National Health Service property is used in a way that ensures the best possible services for patients, the best value for taxpayers in freeing additional resources for reinvestment in new facilities and services, and which supports wider housing objectives, including by freeing surplus NHS land sufficient for 26,000 homes by March 2020.

It is for individual NHS land owners - predominantly NHS trusts and foundation trusts - to decide whether to sell surplus land outright or whether to pursue alternative models which might include part of full retention of ownership and the derivation of an associated income scheme. These considerations will be based on their local needs and circumstances and will need to support NHS organisations’ requirements to secure best value for money.