§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average ambulance response time was in each year since 1997 in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) North Down; and if he will make a statement. [121926]
§ Angela SmithThe Northern Ireland Ambulance Service does not report average ambulance response times on a Northern Ireland or parliamentary constituency basis. Ambulance performance is assessed against national response time standards. In Northern Ireland these are applied as follows
ambulance at the scene of 50 per cent. of 999 calls in 8 minutesambulance at the scene of 95 per cent. of 999 calls in 18 minutes (eastern area); or 21 minutes (northern, southern and western areas).The results for each area are as follows:
Percentage of calls at scene within 8 minutes Northern Southern Eastern Western 1998–99 48 47 55 62 1999–2000 46 45 59 56 2000–01 47 42 63 56 2001–02 47 41 57 53 2002–03 47 41 57 53
Percentage of calls at scene within 18–21 minutes Northern Southern Eastern Western 1998–99 95 94 96 95 1999–2000 95 93 97 94 2000–01 94 92 97 94 2001–02 93 92 96 94 2002–03 93 92 96 94