Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Accident and Emergency Waiting Times

Tuesday 22 July 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Lillian Jones welcomed progress in reducing A&E waits in England under the UK Labour Government.
  • Jackie Baillie warned that lives are at risk due to long waiting times in Scotland.
  • Sojan Joseph visited an A&E department in his constituency where patients were treated in corridors and faced long waits.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lillian Jones Lab Kilmarnock and Loudoun
NHS
Context

The question is prompted by the contrast between progress made in England and a crisis situation in Scotland, where recent figures revealed that 2,472 Scots waited over eight hours to be seen.

Question

I welcome the progress this UK Labour Government have made in reducing A&E waits in England. That sadly contrasts with a crisis in Scotland, where recent figures revealed 2,472 Scots waited over eight hours to be seen. Jackie Baillie rightly warned that 'Lives are being put at risk' under the SNP, and it has been years since the Scottish Government last met any of their targets. Does the Secretary of State agree that only Labour in Westminster and in Holyrood has a serious plan to back NHS staff and cut waiting times?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

I agree with my hon. Friend. There is no sign of the SNP Members this morning. They have obviously clocked off for the summer—or maybe they are just sparing their blushes, because the party has been in power for close to two decades in Scotland and has been steadily driving the NHS into the ground. The chair of BMA Scotland has said 'the NHS is dying before our eyes' with the SNP. It is on its fifth NHS recovery plan in less than four years. Scotland needs a new direction with a Scottish Labour Government. Working in partnership, we will fix the NHS across the United Kingdom and make it fit for the future.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Sojan Joseph Lab Ashford
NHS
Context

The question stems from a visit Sojan made to the William Harvey hospital's A&E department, where he observed that corridor care was becoming common. This raises concerns about the availability of alternative care options.

Question

One of my first visits after being elected last year was to the A&E department at the William Harvey hospital in my constituency, where 19 patients were being treated in the corridors and others faced long waits for treatment. I therefore welcome the progress that has been made so far on reducing A&E waiting times. However, too many people end up at A&Es like the one at the William Harvey because they have no other option. What are the Government doing to increase care options in local communities, including the use of virtual wards to ensure that more people are treated closer to home and that patients in A&E are those in an emergency?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is unacceptable that corridor care became the norm under the Conservatives. We will not accept it as normal; it is not acceptable. Ahead of this winter, we will require local NHS systems to develop and test plans to significantly increase the number of people receiving urgent care services outside hospital, including more paramedic-led care in the community, more patients seen by urgent community response teams, and better use of virtual wards. Together, we will improve our emergency services and make sure that people get the right care in the right place and at the right time.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)