Responding to comments made by health and social care secretary Sajid Javid on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, the interim chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

"Trust leaders will be pleased to hear the government's unequivocal commitment to delivering the New Hospital Programme on time and on schedule, though a little surprised given the delays that have plagued the project so far.

"They are standing ready to proceed with plans as soon as they have the green light from the centre.

"These delays are causing trusts to suffer both rising financial costs and local reputational damage that they have no control over. There is increasing frustration among local communities, patients, public, staff and local councils who all want to see these schemes underway.

"It is important that the programme is allocated proper capital investment and more of the planned schemes are given the go ahead rapidly if the government want to stick to their target of delivery by 2030."