Monklands Hospital (Replacement)

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 18 May 2023.

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Photo of Richard Leonard Richard Leonard Labour

1. To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the completion of the Monklands replacement project. (S6O-02252)

Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

The outline business case for the Monklands replacement project estimates that construction will complete in 2031.

Photo of Richard Leonard Richard Leonard Labour

The site for the replacement Monklands hospital was first identified and approved more than two years ago. In May 2021, the Scottish National Party manifesto said that it would invest the “capital required to build” a new hospital. The outline business case was presented nearly six months ago but, at the same time, a delay of three years was announced for the hospital’s scheduled opening.

Despite the dedication of national health service staff, the current Monklands hospital building is in poor health. People in Lanarkshire are beginning to ask me whether the new hospital will be built at all. Will the cabinet secretary give a commitment today that there will be no reduction in capacity or in the range of services that are provided, that there will be no downgrading in build quality, that he will stick to the plans as outlined in the business case and that there will be no further delays to the hospital’s opening?

Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

Richard Leonard will recognise that we have made a strong commitment to deliver a new Monklands hospital. I know that the issue is also close to the heart of the local constituency member, Neil Gray. As a Government, we are determined to ensure that the hospital is delivered.

The outline business case is being considered through the normal capital projects project review process, which we are going through now. We have had to look at the process as a result of United Kingdom Government cuts to capital expenditure that have a direct impact on capital projects in Scotland. We have to consider the matter in the round, which is why we are going through the process of identifying our key priorities, of which Monklands hospital is one. I assure Richard Leonard that we will look at how we will take that forward to a full business case.

Richard Leonard made specific reference to aspects of the services that will be delivered in the hospital. That is clearly a matter for the health board to take forward, and it will be part of the final business case that will be produced. We will certainly support the health board to take an approach that is consistent with the way in which hospital projects have been delivered in the past.

Photo of Graham Simpson Graham Simpson Conservative

Will the cabinet secretary answer the original question that was posed to him by Richard Leonard? Will there be any further delays?

Photo of Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Scottish National Party

It always feels a bit ironic when Conservative members come into the chamber demanding that capital investment projects be taken forward, when the very people who have been cutting capital expenditure to the Scottish Government are the Conservatives at Westminster—Mr Simpson’s colleagues. I am surprised that he does not have coach loads of constituents queuing up at his surgeries to complain about the impact that his party is having on capital investment projects in Scotland, including vital projects such as Monklands hospital, which this Government is determined to deliver.