NHS waiting times

What positions have MPs and peers taken on NHS waiting times over the past twelve months?

A briefing written by AI (Claude) from the Hansard records cited below, prepared 26 October 2026 from records up to 23 October 2026. Check the sources before relying on it.

In brief

• Government ministers presented waiting lists as falling, as when Wes Streeting told the Commons on 25 November 2025 that "for the first time in 15 years, waiting lists are falling" [Source 9].
• Opposition and backbench MPs mostly put questions on how waiting lists are measured, as when Esther McVey asked whether NHS England plans to publish monthly data showing the number of Referral to Treatment pathways removed from waiting lists by reason for removal [Source 17].
• Liberal Democrats pressed on specific services, as when Helen Morgan said "Waits for health conditions specific to women should not be so much longer than those for general health conditions." [Source 12]
• Devolved members and committee witnesses described waiting times in Scotland and Wales, and gave evidence to committees, with different emphases.

Government ministers - supportive, with a stated target

Ministers described progress, as when Wes Streeting (Secretary of State) said "There is a long way to go, but the NHS in England is on the road to recovery." [Source 9]

• Stephen Kinnock (Minister of State) said on 22 April 2026 that "we are committed to returning by March 2029 to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients wait no longer than 18 weeks" [Source 4].
• Baroness Merron, in a Lords written answer, addressed the ophthalmology list: "While ophthalmology waiting lists have increased since July 2024, waiting times for these services have improved." [Source 6]

Opposition and backbench MPs - probing how waits are counted

Questions focused on what the statistics leave out, as when Joe Robertson (Conservative) asked whether the Department will publish "full, raw NHS waiting-list data including removals and treatment activity on a weekly and monthly basis" [Source 19].

• Sarah Pochin (Reform UK) asked whether waiting periods between GP referral and being added to a consultant-led waiting list are included in official waiting list statistics [Source 16].
• Andrew Snowden (Conservative) asked whether the Department has received correspondence from the Office for Statistics Regulation on public statements on NHS waiting times since July 2024 [Source 22].
• Baroness Merron's answer on removals said 3.18 million were recorded as "unreported removals" [Source 5] in 2025/26.

Liberal Democrats - critical on women's health

In Public Bill Committee on 16 July 2026, Helen Morgan said of the government's women's health strategy that "it lacks teeth" [Source 12], and that new clause 57 "would be a meaningful step towards parity and equality." [Source 12]

Scottish Parliament and Senedd - contrasting accounts

These parliaments decide health for their own nations. In the Scottish Parliament, SNP member Neil Gray said "our plan is working—indeed, waiting lists have reduced for the eighth month in a row." [Source 23]

• In the Senedd, Conservative James Evans said "the people of Wales deserve better—more than warm words and emergency measures." [Source 26]
• Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds said "It's pretty brutal that people are hearing that the waits that they were previously told that they had are now being extended to match the waiting lists in Wales." [Source 29]

Committee witnesses - evidence of persistent strain

Kate Lancaster (RCOG) told the Women and Equalities Committee on 17 December 2025 that on gynaecology "Clearly, there has not been the progress the country needed." [Source 32]

• Professor Kamila Hawthorne (RCGP) told the Health and Social Care Committee that GPs spend time "ringing clinics to find out where somebody is in the waiting list" [Source 31].

About the evidence: The records are mostly written questions and answers, with one Commons debate contribution and a Public Bill Committee speech; no division records are supplied. Devolved material covers the Scottish Parliament and Senedd on a few dates, and the committee evidence is from named witnesses, not views of Parliament. Many questions are quoted without their answers.

Sources

1. Karin Smyth (Labour; MP for Bristol South, city seat (Bristol urban area, 617,000 people), South West; role on this date: Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 22 December 2025 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
2. Karin Smyth (Labour; MP for Bristol South, city seat (Bristol urban area, 617,000 people), South West; role on this date: Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 6 July 2026 — UIN 13743 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
3. Sharon Hodgson (Labour; MP for Washington and Gateshead South, city seat (Sunderland urban area, 292,000 people), North East; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 29 April 2026 — UIN 129107 — Department of Health and Social Care — Cancer: Waiting Lists
4. Stephen Kinnock (Labour; MP for Aberafan Maesteg, city seat (Swansea urban area, 300,000 people), Wales; role on this date: Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 22 April 2026 — UIN 127800 — Department of Health and Social Care — Cataracts: Waiting Lists
5. Baroness Merron (Labour; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Lords written answers — 25 August 2026 — UIN HL2575 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
6. Baroness Merron (Labour; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Lords written answers — 11 September 2026 — UIN HL2582 — Department of Health and Social Care — Ophthalmic Services: Waiting Lists
7. Ashley Dalton (Labour; MP for West Lancashire, town seat (urban area of 34,000), North West; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 19 November 2025 — UIN 84030 — Department of Health and Social Care — Cancer: Waiting Lists
8. Zubir Ahmed (Labour; MP for Glasgow South West, city seat (Greater Glasgow urban area, 1.0m people), Scotland; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 29 April 2026 — UIN 129432 — Department of Health and Social Care — Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists
9. Wes Streeting (Labour; MP for Ilford North, city seat (Greater London urban area, 8.1m people), London; role on this date: Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) — House of Commons — 25 November 2025 — col. 195 — Health and Social Care — NHS Waiting Lists
10. Sharon Hodgson (Labour; MP for Washington and Gateshead South, city seat (Sunderland urban area, 292,000 people), North East; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 29 April 2026 — Department of Health and Social Care — Heart Valve Disease: Diagnosis
11. Zubir Ahmed (Labour; MP for Glasgow South West, city seat (Greater Glasgow urban area, 1.0m people), Scotland; role on this date: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care) — Written answer, Commons written answers — 5 March 2026 — Department of Health and Social Care — Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists
12. Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat; MP for North Shropshire, rural seat, West Midlands; role on this date: Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health and Social Care)) — Public Bill Committee — 16 July 2026 — col. 678 — Health Bill — Public Bill Committee — New Clause 57 - Duty as respects waiting times for women’s health
13. Stuart Andrew (Conservative; MP for Daventry, rural seat, East Midlands; role on this date: Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) — Written question, Commons written answers — 1 June 2026 — UIN 1953 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
14. Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat; MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, town seat (urban area of 30,000), East of England; role on this date: Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Science, Innovation & Technology)) — Written question, Commons written answers — 5 January 2026 — UIN 101111 — Department of Health and Social Care — Paediatrics: Waiting Lists
15. Baroness Pidgeon (Liberal Democrat; member of the House of Lords; role on this date: Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Health)) — Written question, Lords written answers — 11 September 2026 — UIN HL2582 — Department of Health and Social Care — Ophthalmic Services: Waiting Lists
16. Sarah Pochin (Reform UK; MP for Runcorn and Helsby, town seat (urban area of 63,000), North West; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 22 December 2025 — UIN 99109 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
17. Esther McVey (Conservative; MP for Tatton, town seat (urban area of 36,000), North West; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 19 August 2026 — UIN 18584 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
18. Sarah Pochin (Reform UK; MP for Runcorn and Helsby, town seat (urban area of 63,000), North West; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 22 December 2025 — UIN 99110 — Department of Health and Social Care — Health Services: Waiting Lists
19. Joe Robertson (Conservative; MP for Isle of Wight East, town seat (urban area of 26,000), South East; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 23 March 2026 — UIN 111344 — Department of Health and Social Care — NHS: Waiting Lists
20. Yasmin Qureshi (Labour; MP for Bolton South and Walkden, city seat (Greater Manchester urban area, 2.5m people), North West; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 8 July 2026 — UIN 14788 — Department of Health and Social Care — Dental Services: Waiting Lists
21. Jim Shannon (DUP; MP for Strangford, rural seat, Northern Ireland; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 22 April 2026 — UIN 127800 — Department of Health and Social Care — Cataracts: Waiting Lists
22. Andrew Snowden (Conservative; MP for Fylde, city seat (Blackpool urban area, 239,000 people), North West; role on this date: backbencher) — Written question, Commons written answers — 15 June 2026 — UIN 7232 — Department of Health and Social Care — NHS: Waiting Lists
23. Neil Gray (Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts) — Scottish Parliament — 26 February 2026 — General Question Time — Orthopaedic Services Waiting Times(NHS Lanarkshire)
24. Clare Haughey (Scottish National Party, Rutherglen) — Scottish Parliament — 5 March 2026 — First Minister’s Question Time — National Health Service Waiting Times
25. Sara Crowley (Plaid Cymru, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr) — Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — 19 May 2026 — 3. Statement by the First Minister: The First Minister's Priorities
26. James Evans (Conservative, Brecon and Radnorshire) — Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — 13 January 2026 — 7. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Winter Pressures
27. Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales) — Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — 27 January 2026 — 4. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Waiting Times
28. Jeremy Miles (Labour, Neath) — Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — 21 January 2026 — 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care — NHS Waiting Lists
29. Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrat, Mid and West Wales) — Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) — 27 January 2026 — 4. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: NHS Waiting Times
30. Dr Sachin Sankar (Clinical Lead, East Midlands CAMHS Collaborative) — Oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee; Education Committee — 2 September 2026 — Children and Young People's Mental Health
31. Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE (Chair of Council, Royal College of General Practitioners) — Oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee — 26 November 2025 — Delivering the Neighbourhood Health Service: Workforce
32. Kate Lancaster (Chief Executive Officer, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)) — Oral evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee — 17 December 2025 — Reproductive health conditions: girls and young women
33. Abigail Harris (Chief Executive, Swansea Bay University Health Board) — Oral evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee — 23 June 2026 — Cross-border healthcare arrangements between England and Wales
34. Anna Bird (Chief Executive of Contact and Chair of the Disabled Children's Partnership, Dr Tracy Laverick, Senior Educational Psychologist and Senior Lecturer, School of Education and Childhood, Leeds Trinity University, Dr Sally Payne, Professional Adviser for Children, Young People and Families, Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and Gillian Vince, Spokesperson for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Senior Manager for Speech & Language Therapy, Paediatric Occupational Therapy and Podiatry, and SEND Strategic Lead at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) — Oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee — 18 March 2026 — Delivering health aspects of Education Health and Care Plans