Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average 999 emergency police response times are for incidents in (a) Peterlee and (b) Seaham in the latest period for which data is available.

The handling of 999 calls, including response times and performance targets is an operational matter for the police.

The Home Office does not collect data on the 999 emergency service. However, in the Beating Crime Plan, the Government has committed to improving the responsiveness of police to 999 calls by working with HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services to develop league tables for answering calls and ensuring that the public know how responsive their local force is when they call them for help.