Health: HIV
Debate between Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone and Baroness Hyde of Bemerton(2 days, 4 hours ago)
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Baroness Hyde of Bemerton (Lab)
The noble Baroness is right to draw attention to the success of opt-out testing. The Government are pleased that this continues to be a very important plank of HIV detection and future prevention. As with everything, we look forward to the 2027 spending review. I will write in more detail to the noble Baroness on the rest of her question.
Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone (Con)
Has there not been an increase in incidence among Black African heterosexual men? The Minister gave the figures for the welcome decrease in HIV, but there have been increases. That speaks to the requirement for better education. It is 40 years since my noble friend Lord Fowler introduced the “Don’t Die of Ignorance” campaign. We all need to relearn the lessons and promote education and anti-stigma campaigns at every level.
Baroness Hyde of Bemerton (Lab)
Indeed, the Government are not complacent about those who are not captured within the very welcome statistics on new rates of transition and the overall incidence falling. The HIV action plan focuses on five key population groups to ensure that no one is left behind, and this includes ethnic minority and white GBMSM, Black African heterosexual men and women, and ethnic minority heterosexual adults. That is what the £4.8 million in the HIV Prevention England programme is for: to reduce the size of that undiagnosed population and to address some of the inequalities the noble Baroness raises.