Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average ambulance response time was in each year since 1997in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) North Down; and if he will make a statement. [121926]Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service does not report average ambulance response times on a Northern Ireland orparliamentary constituency basis. Ambulance performance is assessed against national response time standards. In Northern Irelandthese are applied as follows: ambulance at the scene of 50 per cent. of 999 calls in 8 minutes ambulance at the scene of 95 percent. 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 Western1998-99 48 47 55 621999-2000 46 45 59 562000-01 47 42 63 562001-02 47 41 57 532002-03 47 41 57 53_________________________________________________________________________________________________.Percentage of calls at scene within 18-21 minutes_________________________________________________________________________________________________.Northern Southern Eastern Western1998-99 95 94 96 951999-2000 95 93 97 942000-01 94 92 97 942001-02 93 92 96 942002-03 93 92 96 94_________________________________________________________________________________________________.