ASSEMBLY health minister Edwina Hart admitted yesterday she "cannot justify" some of the problems affecting emergency ambulance response times in areas like Torfaen.

Quizzed about delays in patient handovers from ambulance crews at accident and emergency departments, Ms Hart assured fellow AMs that solving the problem is "a top priority."

But Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle said ambulance service performance in her constituency - where in December just 29.4 per cent of category A emergencies, the lowest rate in Wales, were reached in less than eight minutes - was "simply unacceptable."

The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust was criticised for poor performance regarding long response waits in Gwent during December and early January, and it was revealed last month that in the 22 months to October 2010, more than 20,000 ambulance crew hours, 16,000 of them at the Royal Gwent, were 'lost' to A&E handover delays.

Ms Hart has faced tough questioning over poor ambulance response times and handover delays before and early last year told an Assembly plenary session she was at a loss to explain consistent difficulties.

Yesterday however, she made it clear it is health boards she expects to get a grip on handover problems.

Ms Hart said: "It is a top priority and I am very disappointed when we don't get the response times the public need across Wales, as well as in Torfaen."

She has spoken with health board chairmen and ambulance trust bosses about difficulties.

Regarding problems caused by severe weather during late November and much of December, Ms Hart said rapid response vehicles, which often arrive at calls ahead of an ambulance, could not operate in many parts of Wales.

"In many ways, they (paramedics) did a terrific job during that period. But I won't justify, and cannot justify, some of the problems we are still having with ambulance delivery times. It is a matter we are pursuing with absolute vigour." she said.