We highlighted to DHSC that there seemed to be a black hole in the funding allocated compared with what would be required to get all the hospitals in the programme built, and asked whether it was discussing the issue with HM Treasury. DHSC told us that it had frequent discussions with HM Treasury and considered the funding was sufficient and 71 C&AG’s Report, paras 8 and 19 72 Committee of Public Accounts, Lessons from major projects and programmes, Thirty-Ninth Report of Session 2019–21, HC 694, 29 January 2021 73 C&AG’s Report, para 13, Figure 8 and Figure 9 74 Q 73 75 Q 46 76 C&AG’s Report, para 4.2; Letter from Shona Dunn, DHSC dated 26 September 2023 77 C&AG’s Report, Figure 11 The New Hospital Programme 19 that it had taken account of optimism bias and inflation. It intended to confirm details through the full business case process.78 It said that if circumstances continued to change then DHSC would have to take account of new pressures as they arose.79 Use of consultants