Construction of new hospitals to start by 2028

The government has announced dates for the building of new hospitals serving Suffolk

The rebuild of two hospitals serving Suffolk has been confirmed by the health secretary, as he set out a new timetable for building across the country.

Replacement work for West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds and the James Paget in Gorleston would begin between 2027 and 2028.

Wes Streeting said the cost of each new hospital would be between £1bn and £1.5bn.

Both sites have been affected by problems with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

Streeting said the 40 new hospitals proposed in 2019 by the Conservatives would go ahead but they would take a decade longer to complete, adding the Tories had not funded the schemes.

It would mean some not getting under way until 2039.

The Tories said Labour had broken promises and should be prioritising investment in new buildings.

The Liberal Democrats accused the government of trying to "bury bad news" on the day of Donald Trump's inauguration as US president.