Tories condemn ‘unacceptable’ delay to NHS construction plans

A delay in plans to reveal which new NHS buildings will be constructed in Scotland has been described as “unacceptable” by the Conservatives.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison confirmed the infrastructure plan may not now be unveiled until the Scottish Government’s 2025-26 Budget, which is likely to be detailed in December.

The plan will list the hospitals and national treatment centres earmarked for construction after projects were put on hold earlier this year.

A hospital in Fort William is among the impacted projects, as well as replacement facilities in Airdrie and Caithness.

The Finance Secretary said decisions on capital investment projects must be held until the new UK Government sets out its funding allocations, which is expected in the coming weeks, before being allocated in the Scottish budget.

Writing to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee, Ms Robison said: “To provide as much certainty as possible to Parliament and wider stakeholders of our capital investment plans, I must wait until I have confirmed capital allocations from the new UK Government.”

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Health Secretary Neil Gray said the projects were paused due to a “£1.3 billion cut to the capital budget from the block grant that arrives from Westminster”.

Scottish Tory deputy health spokeswoman Tess White said: “It is unacceptable that the SNP are kicking the can down the road by further delaying an announcement on when these essential building projects will go ahead.

“These hospitals, treatment centres and surgeries are desperately needed and were promised by ministers to patients up and down Scotland.

“This delay and uncertainty is down to SNP financial mismanagement, which has left a huge black hole in Scotland’s budget. The usual SNP tactic of trying to pin the blame on Westminster won’t wash when the Scottish Government has received record block grants.”

She said the NHS is at “breaking point”, adding: “(First Minister) John Swinney and Neil Gray must urgently come clean on what they are planning and when these building projects will finally get the go-ahead.”