To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible in accident and emergency units. [29339]

The first responsibility of the National Health Service is to respond properly to emergency need as and when it arises. National standards require patients to be assessed within 15 minutes of arrival in Accident and Emergency Departments and that patients admitted as inpatients through A&E be given a bed as soon as possible and certainly within two hours. We are keeping these standards under review.