Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on productivity of NHS waiting times in A&E.

My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, holds regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the work to improve accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times, including at health stocktakes.

The Government’s aim is to make it easier for people to access a range of urgent care services and avoid needing to make unnecessary visits to A&E departments. When people do need to attend A&E, our aim is that this care is provide more quickly, with 76% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours by March 2024.