Spending watchdog looking at government's response to rescue plan for schemes in Liverpool and Birmingham

A report looking at the government鈥檚 handling of two hospital jobs left half built by Carillion鈥檚 collapse has been delayed by the election.

The National Audit Office鈥檚 investigation into the rescue of Carillion鈥檚 Private Finance Initiative (PFI) hospital contracts at the Royal Liverpool and Midland Metropolitan in Birmingham was due to be published by the end of the month.

Royal Liverpool Hospital - September 2019 (20)

But it has now confirmed the report is unlikely to be published until the new year because of the upcoming general election.

>> Read more: Liverpool NHS trust will have shelled out over 拢130m on Carillion hospital this year
>> Analysis: How Carillion's unfinished jobs are shaping up

The probe was announced in August and aims to examine the "government鈥檚 contingency planning for the hospital projects before the Carillion collapse and its response afterwards, the termination of the PFI contracts and the subsequent letting of the new contracts".

It will also assess the expected eventual costs of the two hospitals.

Both jobs were unable to attract private re-financing forcing the PFI contracts to be ripped up and the government stepping to bankroll their completion.

Laing O'Rourke is set to complete the Royal Liverpool (pictured), while Balfour Beatty has been lined up to take on the Midland Met.

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