Sexually Transmitted Infections

(asked on 24th February 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the reported increase in rates of sexually transmitted infections in England.


Answered by
Lord Bethell Portrait
Lord Bethell
This question was answered on 9th March 2020

Several factors have contributed to the increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) seen in England over the last decade. These include better detection through policies that increase testing among those most at risk of STIs and behavioural changes that increase the risk of transmission of STIs.

Sexually transmitted infections and screening for chlamydia in England, 2018, published in June 2019, accompanies the most recent annual official statistics release of data about sexually transmitted infections in England. The report states that the total number of sexual health screens (tests for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV) has increased over the last five years (22%; from 1,603,744 in 2014 to 1,955,108 in 2018). The report considers the role of sexual behaviours such as an increase in partner numbers and condomless intercourse in the increases seen. A copy of the report is attached.

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