Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

What steps he is taking to help ensure that ambulance services meet their response time targets.

The Government is committed to supporting the ambulance service to manage the pressures it is facing.

Investments in the ambulance workforce have increased the number of NHS ambulance and support staff by 38% since July 2010, and boosted 999 call handler numbers to over 2,400 at the end of March, 500 more than in September.

Ambulance trusts receive continuous central monitoring and support through NHS England’s National Ambulance Coordination Centre and there is targeted, intensive support to the most challenged hospitals to improve patient handovers, helping ambulances get swiftly back on the road.