Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of a) Category 1, b) Category 2, c) Category 3 and d) Category 4 calls to East Midlands Ambulance Service were responded to within target times in i) December 2025, ii) January 2026, iii) February 2026, iv) March 2026, v) April 2026 and vi) May 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ambulance response times are not published in either format requested. NHS England publishes monthly ambulance performance statistics, including mean and 90th centile response times for Category 1, Category 2, Category 3 and Category 4 incidents by ambulance trust. Data on the proportion of incidents responded to within target times is not routinely published. Published ambulance quality indicators are published monthly by ambulance service trust and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what was the average wait time of an i) Category 1, ii) Category 2, iii) Category 3, iv) Category 4 EMAS call-out in Melthom Mombury in each month since December 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ambulance response times are not published in either format requested. NHS England publishes monthly ambulance performance statistics, including mean and 90th centile response times for Category 1, Category 2, Category 3 and Category 4 incidents by ambulance trust. Data on the proportion of incidents responded to within target times is not routinely published. Published ambulance quality indicators are published monthly by ambulance service trust and is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential for asymptomatic (a) transmission and (b) infection with hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Pre-symptomatic transmission in Andes hantavirus has not been documented. However, as a precautionary principal it should be assumed that there is potential for presymptomatic transmission from two days prior to symptom onset, including early, prodromal symptoms.
From the limited published studies on Andes hantavirus, there is no evidence of asymptomatic transmission or infection. United Kingdom contacts are undergoing serial testing to detect any subclinical infections.
The risk remains very low for members of the general public. Most hantaviruses do not spread between humans, although person-to-person transmission has happened with the Andes hantavirus strain in rare cases.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of which therapeutics are effective for treating the symptoms of hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for most hantavirus infections. Treatment is supportive and based on symptoms, such as hospital care and respiratory support.
Favipiravir is an antiviral medicine which is not licensed in the United Kingdom but has been recommended by clinical advisers as an appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis for the current hantavirus incident. Favipiravir is being offered as post-exposure prophylaxis to eligible high-risk contacts.
In the event of symptoms and a positive test, the patient will be transferred to relevant high consequence infectious disease facilities, in accordance with NHS guidance.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the average mortality rate of each strain of hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The mortality rate of hantaviruses varies considerably depending on the strain and the quality of care available. For the Andes hantavirus, it has been estimated at up to 30 to 50%, however the upper end of that estimate is from data published around 30 years ago and has since declined. With prompt hospital treatment and respiratory support, outcomes may be significantly better.
The United Kingdom’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the UK Devolved Governments and international partners. Collectively, they are doing everything possible to protect the safety and well-being of British nationals, and to provide reassurance to UK citizens.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the level of human-to-human transmission of hantavirus.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Most hantaviruses do not spread between humans, although person-to-person transmission has happened with the Andes virus strain in rare cases. The risk from the recent outbreak remains very low for members of the general public.
The United Kingdom’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the UK Devolved Governments and international partners. Collectively, they are doing everything possible to protect the safety and well-being of British nationals, and to provide reassurance to UK citizens.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the prevalence of hantavirus in the UK.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
The risk to the United Kingdom general population remains very low. The Andes virus, the virus associated with the outbreak linked to the MV Hondius, is typically associated with South American rodent species that are not found in the UK.
The UK’s response to this complex incident is being led by the UK Health Security Agency working closely with the World Health Organization, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the UK Devolved Governments and international partners. Collectively, they are doing everything possible to protect the safety and well-being of British nationals, and to provide reassurance to UK citizens.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of (a) Named day and (b) Ordinary written parliamentary questions were answered within the required timescale in each month between November 2025 and April 2026.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written Parliamentary Questions (PQs).
Data on response times to PQs is published following the end of every session by the House of Commons Procedure Committee as part of their continued monitoring and reporting of departmental PQ performance. The next report will be released in due course.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of (a) named day questions, and (b) ordinary written questions were responded to by his Department within the required timescale in (i) May 2025, (ii) June 2025, (iii) July 2025, (iv) August 2025, (v) September 2025 and (vi) October 2025.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the information requested:
Month | Named Day | Ordinary Written |
May 2025 | 55.3% | 73.8% |
June 2025 | 44.4% | 53.3% |
July 2025 | 45.2% | 60.7% |
August 2025 | N/A | N/A |
September 2025 | 36.9% | 53.3% |
October 2025 | 52.3% | 46.0% |
Source: Department of Health and Social Care
Note: there were no written parliamentary questions due for answer in August 2025 as Parliament was in recess for that entire month.
Asked by: Edward Argar (Conservative - Melton and Syston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the total budget was for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-2025 and (c) 2025-6 financial years.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care board revenue allocations are available here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/allocations/
The total revenue allocations for consecutive years are not comparable as the scope of services covered changes. For instance, some specialised services were delegated for the first time in 2025/26.