6. Will the Minister provide an update on the north Denbighshire community hospital? OQ57839

The full business case for the Royal Alexandra Hospital scheme has been received by the Welsh Government. I will make a final decision on the scheme, and the health board and local Members of the Senedd will be informed as soon as that decision is made.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. My constituents have been promised this improvement to community health for years and years—nearly for a decade now. You keep telling us, time and time again, that the restoration of the Royal Alex is always just around the corner, without a spade going in the ground or anything tangible for the residents of Rhyl and Prestatyn to see. When I raise this issue with the Welsh Government, they pin the delays on Betsi, and then Betsi lay the blame at the door of the Welsh Government. My constituents don't care who is to blame. They just want clear answers and their services up and running. Minister, how will you work with the local health board to remove any road blocks and ensure that the north Denbighshire community hospital is delivered in the shortest possible time frame? Thank you.

Well, thanks very much, Gareth. You'll be aware that the restraints on our capital funding are very real, not just for the next coming year, but also for the three years after that. I think that it's probably worth also pointing out that the initial costs of the scheme were estimated to be £22 million—

They've doubled in that time.

—and then the outline business case, when that was produced, that increased to £51 million, and now the full business case is £72 million. So, we are in a very different situation from when the proposal was initially put before us, but obviously, I will let you know once that decision has been made.