PM 'expects' Kettering hospital build to start next year

Rishi Sunak told MPs the government was "absolutely committed" to the new hospital

The prime minister has told MPs work on a new hospital should start in the first quarter of next year.

Rishi Sunak said the government was "absolutely committed" to delivering the rebuild of Kettering General Hospital, Northamptonshire.

He was responding to a question from the local MP about the energy centre that will power the building.

The project is one of 40 "new" hospital buildings promised by the government in 2019 for completion by 2030.

The Kettering scheme involves the complete rebuild of much of the site over several years while it continues to function as a hospital.

The whole project could cost as much as £1bn.

The first phase includes the construction of an electrically-powered energy centre.

Philip Hollobone, MP for Kettering, urged the prime minister to "get spades in the ground" next spring

During Prime Minister's Questions, Kettering's Conservative MP Philip Hollobone asked the Prime Minister to "do all he can to ensure that the Department of Health gets spades into the ground in time next spring so that we can get the construction of our redeveloped much-loved local hospital under way".

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the energy centre was vital to the rebuild project

The prime minister said: "We are absolutely committed to delivering the scheme for Kettering General Hospital.

"The new energy centre is vital to the delivery of the new hospital and we expect that work to begin in the first quarter of next year.

"The new hospital programme are working closely with the trust to ensure that the plans are deliverable."

A National Audit Office report published earlier this year said progress on the hospital building programme had been slower than expected and was not achieving value for money.

It also said it was unclear where the full funding for the programme would be found.

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