Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his target date is for 92% of patients to begin elective treatment within 18 weeks.

As set out in the Plan for Change, we are committed to delivering the National Health Service constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to consultant-led treatment by March 2029.

Planning Guidance for 2025/26 sets a target that 65% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks by March 2026, with every trust expected to deliver a minimum 5% improvement on current performance over that period.