By STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

THE multi-million pound bill to replace Grenfell style cladding on a Glasgow Hospital will be picked up by the Scottish Government.

The work to remove and replace the aluminium composite cladding is estimated to cost £6m.

It was discovered last year that the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Children’s Hospital had the cladding.

The health board has said it has been assured the buildings are safe but the cladding will be replaced to give extra public re-assurance.

Scottish Government ministers have now said the cost will be met from its budget and not be a burden in the health board resources.

It is expected the work will take around one year to complete and not disrupt the hospital.

The flagship hospital which cost £850m and was completed in 2015 was one of several public buildings found to have the cladding after nationwide inspections were ordered.

Local councils and health boards checked schools hospitals and other public buildings after the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London which killed 71 people in June last year.

Cladding was found to have been used on the hospital in the south west of the city.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “The board has been given assurances from the National Fire Officer that the hospitals are amongst the safest buildings in the UK in terms of fire engineering, however the decision was taken replace panels to give extra reassurance to the public, our patients and our staff

“The replacement materials will not change the outward appearance of the hospitals and the engineering process to remove and replace them will not require alterations to the buildings.

“To ensure minimal disruption the works will be spread over several months - everything scheduled to be completed within 12 months of the building warrant approval being granted.”

A Scottish Government spokesman confirmed: “We have agreed to fund these costs and we will be formally writing to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to confirm.”