§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many ambulance call-outs were made between 20 December 2001 and 3 January 2002 in Essex; what average length of time it took for ambulances to reach(a) the patient and (b) the hospital to which the patient needed to be taken; and what the average figure was in England; [46758]
(2) how many 999 calls were made to the Essex ambulance service between 20 December 2001 and 3 January for which it was decided an ambulance was not necessary; and what proportion of calls over this period such calls represent. [46757]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 10 April 2002]: The information is not collected centrally in the format requested.
241WInformation about ambulance response times is contained in the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin 'Ambulance Services, England 2000–01'. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and available at www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0115.htm.