Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to require all emergency service vehicles to have defibrillators.

The Government is committed to improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, and reducing inequalities in access to these life saving devices. We have made a further £500,000 available from August 2024 to fulfil existing applications to the Department’s Community AED Fund. The criteria specified for the original grant continues to apply and will go to applications for AEDs in areas of England where there is the greatest need, including in areas of high footfall, hot spots for cardiac arrest, and areas that already have low access to AEDs.

Department ministers regularly have discussions with colleagues across Government on issues of cross-departmental interest.