Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

What assessment he has made of the correlation between the time taken to assess patients in A&E departments and trends in the patient handover times of East Midlands ambulance service; and if he will make a statement.

We are clear that accident and emergency (A&E) departments must deliver timely assessments and treatment to avoid delays in treating incoming patients, including those arriving by ambulance. Intensive support is in place to improve A&E performance and lessen the impact of handover delays on East Midlands Ambulance Service. Performance improvement plans are in place at 11 hospital sites, with progress being closely monitored by NHS Improvement. There is still work to do, but significant progress is being made.