← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
World Asthma Day
15 May 2025
Lead MP
Jim Shannon
Strangford
DUP
Responding Minister
Ashley Dalton
Tags
NHS
Word Count: 9517
Other Contributors: 11
At a Glance
Jim Shannon raised concerns about world asthma day in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The lead MP requests that the Minister address the need for better access to inhalers and improved asthma care to reduce hospital admissions, waiting times, and ultimately save lives.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The debate highlights the ongoing issues with asthma care in the UK, including high death rates and hospitalisations doubling over two decades. With 7.2 million people living with asthma in the UK, representing one in nine adults and one in eight children, there are significant challenges such as preventable deaths (66% of which were avoidable) and substantial costs to the NHS (£9.6 billion annually).
Ashley Dalton
Lab
Bolton West
Confirmed that they would write to the shadow Minister regarding FeNO. Also mentioned NHS England's pilot programme for digital asthma checks.
Ayoub Khan
Ind
Birmingham Perry Barr
Mr. Khan highlighted that every eight hours someone in the UK dies from an asthma attack, with poor air quality exacerbating respiratory illnesses. He called for free inhalers and dose counters on emergency inhalers to prevent hospital admissions and save lives. The speaker highlighted issues such as prescription charges for asthma medication, raising questions around the exemption certificate review process and eligibility criteria. He also discussed the need for better support in community settings for respiratory conditions.
Evans
Lab
Hinckley and Bosworth
Asked about the contributions by charities to the major conditions strategy.
Luke Evans
Con
Cardiff North
Asked the Minister to comment on FeNO and requested a written response.
Tottenham
Thanked the Minister for her positive replies and commitment to asthma, mentioning improvements in air quality, national bundle of care, spirometry diagnostic tests, and training of staff.
Discussed the link between poverty and asthma, highlighting that those from deprived communities are three times more likely to die from asthma compared with those in richer areas. Mentioned the need for local meetings to determine causes of variation in asthma outcomes.
Chichester
The Liberal Democrats advocate reversing cuts to public health funding and increasing the public health grant for local authorities to tackle root causes of poor lung health, including air pollution and housing conditions.
Jessica Toale
Lab
Bournemouth West
Ms. Toale discussed the impact of pollution on asthma rates in Bournemouth, noting that residents in less affluent areas face significantly higher asthma risks compared to wealthier regions. She emphasised the need for cross-departmental approaches addressing air quality and housing conditions. Focused on air quality and technology to help manage asthma.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Discussed his interaction with Simon Hamilton, an MLA who had Crohn’s disease. Asked about CDCs once NHS England is abolished and thanked all MPs for participating in the debate.
Rachel Hopkins
Lab
Keighley
The speaker thanked the lead MP for raising this timely debate and expressed appreciation for Asthma + Lung UK's work. She also raised concerns about vaccination rates among older adults and the impact of low uptake on NHS winter pressures.
Raised issues of access to treatments, inequalities in asthma care, and spirometry availability.
Government Response
Ashley Dalton
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Government Response
Acknowledging the leadership shown by the lead MP, the Minister offered to meet them regarding discussed issues. She also welcomed meetings with other MPs such as Ayoub Khan to discuss their concerns. The current prescription charge exemptions were explained, noting that around 89% of prescriptions are free in England and children receive free prescriptions. No review is planned for medical conditions exempt from charges. NHS England is working on improving outcomes for people with asthma through targeted funding, clarifying diagnosis processes, and supporting implementation of NICE guidelines. They are also focusing on inequalities through initiatives like Core20PLUS5, which aims to uplift the most deprived quintile through specific interventions to detect and treat asthma. Discussed actions to increase vaccination uptake, obesity prevention, smoking reduction, and air quality improvement. Mentioned the publication of a 10-year health plan focusing on prevention, community care, and digital transformation. Highlighted the pilot programme for digital asthma checks and the FeNO rapid uptake product delivery toolkit provided by Wessex Academic Health Science Network.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.