HC Deb 25 February 2003 vol 400 c501W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average time it took an ambulance to reach an emergency after the initial 999 call was made in(a) England and (b) Greater London over the last 12 months. [97817]

Mr. Lammy

Information about the average time it takes an ambulance to reach an emergency after the initial 999 call is not available. The latest information about the proportion of emergency calls resulting in an ambulance arriving at the scene of the reported incident within the Government's target response times for the London Ambulance National Health Service Trust, and all other ambulance trusts in England, is contained in the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin "Ambulance Services, England 2001–02". A copy of the bulletin is available in the Library and available at www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0213.htm.

Mr.Burns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many 999 calls were made to the Greater London Ambulance Service between 20 December 2002 and 3 January 2003 for which it was decided an ambulance was not necessary; and what proportion of calls over this period such calls represented. [97834]

Mr. Hutton

The London Ambulance Service received 36,114 emergency calls between 20 December 2002 and 3 January 2003. After receiving clinical telephone advice, 699, or 1.9 per cent. of callers, did not subsequently require an ambulance.