Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Mearns Excerpts

Tuesday 26th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Matt Hancock]

I have called in the independent review panel and asked it to consider all the evidence, at the request of the local council, to ensure that we properly assess all the evidence. We have made the money available, but we must ensure that the plans are the best ones possible for both Shrewsbury and Telford.

[Ian Mearns (Gateshead) (Lab)]

T8. I listened intently to the replies the Minister for Care gave to my hon. Friend the Member for North Tyneside (Mary Glindon) and the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Dr Whitford) about asthma. Is the Minister aware that, in the area of the Newcastle Gateshead CCG alone, 654 people were admitted to hospital with complications arising from their asthma? Asthma UK tells us that, of the 175,000 sufferers in the north-east of England, more than 100,000 report that they cannot always afford their prescriptions. The strategy is not working, so will the Secretary of State commit to removing prescription charges for asthma sufferers to massively reduce preventable hospital admissions and deaths?