§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, the hon. Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville) last communicated with the chairman of the South Yorkshire ambulance service; what subjects were raised; and if she will make a statement on the performance and response times of that ambulance service.
§ Mr. SackvilleI have had no correspondence with the chairman of South Yorkshire metropolitan ambulance and paramedic service—SYMAPS—national health service trust. I have written to the chairman of Trent regional health authority on 9 February about the response time achieved by SYMAPS against the patients charter standard. The management of SYMAPS and the four South Yorkshire purchasing districts have been closely monitoring response times and are working to bring the accident and emergency performance standards into line with the patients charter.