Kettering: PM pressed over plans for delayed hospital

Philip Hollobone said Kettering General Hospital's redevelopment was an issue for the town and north Northamptonshire

Boris Johnson has promised a meeting between the health secretary and three MPs about the delayed rebuild of Kettering General Hospital.

The hospital was awarded £46m for a new urgent care hub in 2019 and a further £350m for redevelopment.

The money has yet to be awarded and the town's MP, Philip Hollobone, said it was "the number one local priority for residents".

Mr Johnson said the government was "fully committed to the new hospital".

Last year, the government agreed two separate funding streams for redeveloping the hospital could be combined to avoid potential delays.

The money for the redevelopment was part of the government's £3.7bn of funding for hospitals.

Kettering General Hospital has been awarded £396m in two, now combined, funding streams

In a response to a question about the hospital during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said: "The release of funding will be subject to the usual business case assessment process."

Speaking in February, Health Minister Edward Argar said the government was waiting for the hospital trust to submit a fresh business plan. It is unclear whether that has since been sent to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Conservative MP Mr Hollobone asked Mr Johnson to "facilitate a meeting" with the Health Secretary Sajid Javid and himself, alongside Peter Bone, Conservative MP for Wellingborough, Tom Pursglove, Conservative MP for Corby and the hospital's chief executive Simon Weldon.

"So that we can trigger the start of the draw down of the initial £46m of funding," Mr Hollobone said.

Mr Johnson said: "The health secretary tells me he's met them before and would be happy to meet them again."