By Martina Bet, PA Political Staff

Rishi Sunak has said “everything is on track” after he was challenged by the Liberal Democrats on the Conservatives’ pledge to deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030.

The Prime Minister’s comments came after an ITV News investigation into the structural failures of NHS hospitals across the country, with doctors reportedly warning that patient safety is being put at risk due to crumbling buildings.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and two other Lib Dem MPs raised the investigation at Prime Minister’s Questions, alongside a report by the Observer which claimed only a quarter of the 40 hospitals that were at the heart of Boris Johnson’s 2019 general election manifesto have secured full planning permission.

Mr Sunak said the Government is still committed to building the 40 new hospitals, and when asked in particular about developments in the South West, he said “everything is on track”.

Sir Ed said: “The Conservative manifesto promised 40 new hospitals. After three years, most of these hospitals haven’t even got planning permission yet.

“And communities feel betrayed and taken for granted. As ITV showed yesterday, St Helier in south London is literally crumbling – but there’s still no plan to save it.

“Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Cambridgeshire has sewage leaking into its wards, and a roof that could collapse at any moment. Does the Prime Minister agree that these are conditions no patients, doctors or nurses should have to put up with?”

Mr Sunak said he is proud the Government is investing “record sums” into the NHS and its capital, adding: “Not just going on upgrading almost 100 hospitals, developing 40 large-scale developments, as the honourable gentleman knows, but also investing in more scanners, more ambulances across the board, so we can deliver vital care to people.”

Lib Dem Richard Foord, who represents Tiverton and Honiton, echoed his leader’s claims, telling the Commons: “Of the 40 promised new hospitals referred to by my right honourable friend, 11 of those are in the South West of England.

“Three of them surround my constituency in Barnstaple, Dorchester and Taunton, but none of them have planning permission.

“Given that the Prime Minister claims his mandate rests on a manifesto that promised 40 new hospitals, when will we see them?”

The Prime Minister replied: “The Government is committed to building 40 new hospitals as part of the new hospital programme.

“In the South West, eight out of the 11 schemes do have full outline planning permission approved and the remaining three schemes, due to when they are due to be delivered, would not be expected to have planning permission at this stage.

“And we are working with the trust to go through that process. So everything is on track and we will bring those hospitals to the people in the South West.”

Lib Dem Helen Morgan (North Shropshire) later said: “The Government has not only broken its promise on new hospitals, it has also broken its pledge of 6,000 more doctors, with the number of qualified GPs having actually fallen.”

Mr Sunak said: “There are 2,200 more GPs in general practice today, there are 15,000 more doctors in the NHS and there are 30,000 more nurses.”