Sexually Transmitted Infections: England

Debate between Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford and Lord Black of Brentwood

Thursday 5th September 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Black of Brentwood (Con)]

My Lords, I beg to move the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, I declare an interest as a trustee of the Bloomsbury Network and patron of the Terrence Higgins Trust.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford) (Con)]

My Lords, we are seeing a mixed picture in relation to trends in sexually transmitted infections. There have been increases in some infections such as syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia, but diagnoses of first-episode genital warts have fallen. We are also seeing a steep decline in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men. Condoms remain the most effective way of reducing the risk of STDs.

[Lord Black of Brentwood]

I thank my noble friend for that Answer. While the news on HIV is obviously very welcome, is it not the truth that other STIs are now on the rampage, with rates of increase for gonorrhoea, syphilis and chlamydia sky-rocketing ferociously? Does my noble friend agree that what is needed is a cross-sector sexual health strategy and some vision and ambition for what we, as a country, want to achieve around sexual health? Can my noble friend, who I know cares deeply about these issues, tell us exactly what yesterday’s spending announcements mean for sexual health funding, which has been cut by £700 million in the last few years, with appalling consequences?

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford]

I thank my noble friend for his Question and I congratulate him on his important work in this area. He is absolutely right that the Health and Social Care Committee recommended a new sexual health strategy and we will respond to its report shortly. In addition to that, the Green Paper consultation on prevention sought views on priorities for a possible new strategy and we will consider those responses very carefully. As he rightly says, the spending review yesterday announced 1% real-terms growth for the public health grant, which I know will be very welcome because it means that local authorities can continue to invest in prevention and essential front-line health services, including sexual health services.

Health: HIV

Debate between Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford and Lord Black of Brentwood

Monday 25th March 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Black of Brentwood (Con)]

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper. In doing so, I declare an interest as a trustee of the Bloomsbury Network.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford) (Con)]

My Lords, due to increased access to testing and other measures, there has been a welcome 28% decline in new HIV diagnoses since 2015. We are also one of the first countries in the world to meet the UNAIDS 90-90-90 HIV targets. To build on this progress, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has announced the Government’s commitment to end new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030. Work is under way to take this forward.

[Lord Black of Brentwood]

I thank my noble friend for that Answer. I know that noble Lords across the House who have long campaigned for this moment—I am hazarding a guess that I might include the Lord Speaker in view of his exceptional leadership in this area—will applaud the Secretary of State’s commitment to eliminating new HIV transmissions by 2030. In the certain knowledge that those with HIV on effective treatment cannot pass it on, it is now in our power to bring an end to this cruel illness. Does my noble friend agree that what is needed now is a comprehensive national HIV strategy, which brings together all of the steps that we need to take: prevention through both sustainable access to PrEP and effective treatment for those diagnosed; more testing to stop late diagnosis; greater investment in sexual health services; education about HIV in schools; an end to the fragmentation of HIV services; and a commitment to tackle stigma?

[Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford]

I thank my noble friend for that Question and pay tribute to the work of the Lord Speaker. I agree with the premise of his Question. Public Health England has attributed the success that we have had, with 92% of people with HIV now diagnosed, 98% of patients receiving treatment and 97% virally suppressed to a combination of HIV prevention, including expanded HIV testing, prompt initiation of antiretroviral therapy after diagnosis, condom provision and PrEP, all of which we will need to build on as we develop plans to achieve zero infections by 2030. He is absolutely right that these will all need to go into development of that plan.