Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of maintaining unused NHS (a) buildings, (b) parts of buildings and (c) other spaces in each of the last five years.

The following table shows data that NHS England has collected and published on occupancy costs, the total expenses associated with occupying and operating buildings, including finance costs, hard and soft facilities management costs, and other management costs, for unoccupied National Health Service sites since 2021/22:

Source: NHS England

Note: NHS England does not hold pre-2021 data and is unable to allocate occupancy costs to parts of unused buildings or spaces. As such the above data represents only unoccupied whole sites. The NHS ENgland definition of unoccupied sites covers empty spaces, those not in use, and those closed awaiting disposal, and includes hospitals, health centres, mental health hubs, stores and warehouses, and administrative buildings.

The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future. This means not only upgrading but better utilising infrastructure across the entire NHS estate to reduce vacant or unused spaces and their associated costs over time.