To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of Category A emergency ambulance dispatches reached patients within the Government’s target of eight minutes in (a) urban areas and (b) rural areas in the latest period for which figures are available. (155036)

The Department does not classify ambulance trusts as urban or rural, and therefore performance data are not reported against these categories.

All ambulance trusts are required to meet the same national response time standards irrespective of location. Category A calls (those presenting conditions that may be immediately life threatening) should be responded to within eight minutes in 75 per cent. of cases and Category B calls (those conditions that are serious but not immediately life threatening) should be responded to within 19 minutes in 95 per cent. of cases.