Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Travel Advice

Andrew Rosindell Excerpts

Tuesday 11th February 2025 Westminster Hall

[Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)]

Thank you, Dr Allin-Khan, for calling me to respond on behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition. It is a pleasure to serve under you for the first time. I commend the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Dr Pinkerton) for raising this issue on the Floor of the House today. It is an issue that most MPs never hear about and never think about. The public do not know about this issue, and he has done us all a huge service today by raising this topic and allowing us to hear about what happened in the tragic case of Hudson, who died in 2023 at the age of only 24 in Ecuador, and how carbon monoxide poisoning could happen to anybody. It is not just something that has happened once; it can happen over and over again, and we need cross-party action to deal with it. I know that the Minister will take on board all the points raised by hon. Members to ensure that we do not close down this debate and move on to other issues, but that we make the necessary changes to protect the safety of British travellers abroad.

Furthermore, as the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello) said, there are risks domestically in the United Kingdom. A large number of people also die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK, a possibility unbeknown to most people. The debate has triggered something in my mind; many years ago, I had constituents who died in a similar situation, and it probably happens more often than we realise. Action is needed, and I hope that the Minister will trigger Government action to ensure that Hudson’s tragic death was not in vain and that others will live because of what happened to him. We must learn the lessons from that tragedy.

I again commend the hon. Member for Surrey Heath for raising this issue. I also thank other hon. Members who have made powerful contributions, including my right hon. Friend the Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois)—I had the pleasure of visiting his constituency only last Friday. The hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) spoke powerfully about the effects of this issue in Northern Ireland, and I have already mentioned the hon. Member for West Dorset. I feel that there is cross-party consensus in the room that action is needed. I thank Hudson’s family and friends who have come here today. They have our heartfelt sympathy for their tragic loss, and we hope that today will be the start of a serious change that will save lives in the future.

I will make some formal remarks on behalf of His Majesty’s Opposition. We know that carbon monoxide poisoning is often misdiagnosed—or, worse, not diagnosed at all—and the number of deaths from that awful occurrence could be far greater than we know. Many deaths abroad do not even appear in national or international statistics, and we do not know for sure how many people die from this awful situation. Most post-mortem tests are not fully conducted, or not conducted at all. Do the Government have any estimate for how many Britons have died from carbon monoxide poisoning overseas in recent years? Are those statistics available—and if not, why not? Perhaps the Minister could tell us that in his closing remarks.

According to the all-party carbon monoxide group, 40 people die and thousands are injured every year in the UK from carbon monoxide poisoning. If that is happening in this country, with relatively strong gas safety regulations, what about the domestic risks to people living in our own country, as well as to holidaymakers and those staying in properties with unknown safety standards abroad? That certainly applied in the case of Hudson in a home stay, which I imagine involves far greater risks than staying in hotel accommodation. As we heard from the hon. Member for Surrey Heath, carbon monoxide can affect anyone. If, for £20, we can know that the place we are residing in is safe, I think that is worth the investment. We need all travellers to take that sound advice.

Have the Government evaluated how the risks compare for British people travelling to countries with different safety standards? Standards are not the same all over the world. Having been to Quito, I am sure that Ecuador is an example of that; it is a very different part of the world and standards differ. It is important that people understand, when they go to far-away destinations, what risks are prevalent. We need to make people aware of such risks before they travel. Will the Minister look at this issue and let us know his findings?

Travellers booking through travel agencies may receive safety information, but that does not necessarily apply to those arranging trips independently. What more can the Government do to ensure that all British travellers, regardless of how they book their accommodation, are aware of the risks involved? The FCDO’s travel advice is widely used and trusted. Would it not be logical to expand the inclusion of advice on carbon monoxide poisoning to all destinations with inadequate gas safety regulations, rather than to a handful of countries where tragic deaths have occurred?

Portable carbon monoxide alarms, as has been mentioned, are inexpensive, easy to pack and widely recommended by the experts. Surely the Government should be encouraging their use in the same way that they promote other basic travel safety measures. We have seen how determined campaigners are working to raise awareness of that fact, including Cathy Foley and her family through the Hudson’s Pack Safe appeal. The Government should move quickly on the work that is being done now to promote this serious risk and state clearly what can be done.

The Safer Tourism Foundation and the all-party carbon monoxide group have made constructive recommendations to improve public understanding. How are the Government working with those organisations to strengthen their approach, and what discussions have the Government had with travel industry representatives, including airlines, tour operators and accommodation providers, to explore ways to improve safety messaging for holidaymakers across the world? It is not about creating unnecessary alarm, but about ensuring that British travellers have the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their safety. We already provide advice on issues ranging from food hygiene to local crime risks, so is it not sensible to have the same kind of advice for treating the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning and to treat it with the same level of seriousness as we do other possible risks to travellers abroad?

This is a conversation about simple, practical steps that can and will save lives. I hope the Minister will take the opportunity to outline what action the Government will take to help keep British travellers safe. I again thank the hon. Member for Surrey Heath and all Members who have contributed to the debate. I particularly thank Hudson’s family. Let us leave today in the knowledge that the debate has changed history, and that, from now on, the British people will know, and the Government will advise them, that they must take the adequate precautions that could save their lives and those of their loved ones.