§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of places on training courses for paramedics; and what plans he has to increase the number of places available. [122581]
§ Ms StuartThere has been no central estimate of the number of places on training courses for paramedics as this training is managed directly by the 32 National Health Service ambulance service trusts around the country. We have made £21 million extra available per annum to support the ambulance services in meeting the national target of responding to 75 per cent. of all life threatening 999 calls within eight minutes. £18.5 million of this allocation is to provide additional staff, in particular paramedics, thereby increasing significantly the number of training places.