Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what funding his Department provided for (a) core, (b) non-core and (c) other funding for (i) the UN Population Fund, (ii) the World Health Organisation, (iii) the UN International Children's Emergency Fund, (iv) the Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS, (v) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (vi) Women and Children First UK, (vii) the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and (viii) the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in (A) 2021, (B) 2022 and (C) 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The table below details the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's contributions to (i) the UN Population Fund, (ii) the World Health Organisation, (iii) the UN International Children's Emergency Fund, (iv) the Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS, (v) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, , (vi) the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and (vii) the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women in (A) 2021, (B) 2022. Official figures for spend in 2023 have not yet been published.
Funding for 'Women and Children First' ceased in 2016.
Type | 2021 | 2022 | |
UN Population Fund | Core | 8,000,000 | 8,000,000 |
Non-core | 57,320,000 | 97,510,000 | |
Other | 0 | 0 | |
The World Health Organisation | Core | 97,600,000 | 97,750,000 |
Non-core | 35,530,000 | 43,650,000 | |
Other | 0 | 0 | |
The UN International Children's Emergency Fund | Core | 24,000,000 | 8,000,000 |
Non-core | 201,540,000 | 202,170,000 | |
Other | 0 | 0 | |
The Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS | Core | 2,500,000 | 8,000,000 |
Non-core | 0 | 0 | |
Other | 0 | 0 | |
The International Planned Parenthood Federation | Core | 0 | 0 |
Non-core | 42,530,000 | 22,230,000 | |
Other | 0 | 0 | |
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria | Core | 380,000,000 | 434,000,000 |
Non-core | 0 | 0 | |
Other | 0 | 0 | |
The UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women | Core | 5,750,000 | 0 |
Non-core | 3,430,000 | 4,700,000 | |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Note:
The 2021 and 2022 figures are drawn from FCDO's Statistics on International Development (SID) reports. 2023 SID figures will be released in Autumn 2024.
The UK's membership fee (Assessed contributions) for WHO is paid by Department for Health and Social care.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to improve rates of retention in HIV care among (a) Black African women, (b) Black Caribbean women, (c) White women and (d) women of other ethnicities.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach to drive forward progress and achieve our goal of ending new human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) transmissions, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. A key principle of our approach is to ensure that all populations benefit equally from improvements made in HIV outcomes, including through testing, and high-quality care for those with a positive HIV status.
While the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant drop in HIV testing, we are pleased that services are recovering, and testing rates among gay and bisexual men are now at the highest level on record, with a 23% increase from 2019 to 2022. However, more progress is needed across all groups, which we are targeting through various initiatives.
As part of the HIV Action Plan, the Department funds the HIV Prevention Programme, which annually runs a National HIV Testing Week (NHTW) campaign to encourage those in underrepresented groups, such as women and black ethnic groups, to test for HIV. In 2023, we introduced the self-testing option, which we know is very popular with harder to reach groups. During the 2024 NHTW campaign, self-testing orders from black African women nearly doubled when compared with 2023, and orders of these kits by heterosexual women increased by 39%.
The introduction of opt-out testing for HIV in emergency departments, in the areas with extremely high diagnosed HIV prevalence, is also a crucial strategy to help us identify those living with undiagnosed or untreated HIV. By normalising testing as part of an emergency department attendance when blood is drawn, we help reach communities that are currently underserved by testing opportunities, such as black African and black Caribbean ethnic groups and women, and reduce the number of people presenting with a late HIV diagnosis.
A subgroup of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group (ISG), the Retention and Re-engagement in Care Task and Finish Group, is providing advice on increasing the number of people retained and re-engaged in care and receiving effective medical care, in particularly considering women and other groups disproportionally affected by HIV, which will be reviewed by the ISG in due course.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Streatham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help ensure that HIV testing rates among women (a) return to and (b) exceed pre covid-19 levels.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach to drive forward progress and achieve our goal of ending new human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) transmissions, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. A key principle of our approach is to ensure that all populations benefit equally from improvements made in HIV outcomes, including through testing, and high-quality care for those with a positive HIV status.
While the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant drop in HIV testing, we are pleased that services are recovering, and testing rates among gay and bisexual men are now at the highest level on record, with a 23% increase from 2019 to 2022. However, more progress is needed across all groups, which we are targeting through various initiatives.
As part of the HIV Action Plan, the Department funds the HIV Prevention Programme, which annually runs a National HIV Testing Week (NHTW) campaign to encourage those in underrepresented groups, such as women and black ethnic groups, to test for HIV. In 2023, we introduced the self-testing option, which we know is very popular with harder to reach groups. During the 2024 NHTW campaign, self-testing orders from black African women nearly doubled when compared with 2023, and orders of these kits by heterosexual women increased by 39%.
The introduction of opt-out testing for HIV in emergency departments, in the areas with extremely high diagnosed HIV prevalence, is also a crucial strategy to help us identify those living with undiagnosed or untreated HIV. By normalising testing as part of an emergency department attendance when blood is drawn, we help reach communities that are currently underserved by testing opportunities, such as black African and black Caribbean ethnic groups and women, and reduce the number of people presenting with a late HIV diagnosis.
A subgroup of the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group (ISG), the Retention and Re-engagement in Care Task and Finish Group, is providing advice on increasing the number of people retained and re-engaged in care and receiving effective medical care, in particularly considering women and other groups disproportionally affected by HIV, which will be reviewed by the ISG in due course.
Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will publish details of his Department's bilateral expenditure that has directly targeted tackling HIV and AIDS in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK remains a significant funder in the HIV response. In (i) 2021 and (ii) 2022 total bilateral expenditure for HIV and AIDS was (i) £5,831,984 and (ii) £10,035,256 respectively. Of this total Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office bilateral spend was (i) £4,548,553 and (ii) £9,916,750 for 2021 and 2022 respectively. This includes our funding to the Clinton Health Access Initiative to further improve access to essential HIV medicines and our funding to the Robert Carr Fund to support initiatives with grassroots organisations, including key populations, as part of the global HIV response.
Figures for 2023 are not yet available. They will be published in Autumn 2024.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to fund HIV treatment.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach to driving progress and achieving our goal of ending new HIV transmissions, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. Rapid access to, and retention in, HIV treatment and care can support those diagnosed with HIV in living healthy lives and maintaining an undetectable viral load, meaning they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners.
As demonstrated by our success in meeting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’s 95-95-95 targets, England does very well on viral suppression and retention in care, with 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment, and 98% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load. HIV treatment and care remain world class in England, and most beneficial outcomes remain high across all population groups. HIV treatment is available free of charge from open access HIV clinics in the National Health Service, and funded by the Department though our budget allocation to NHS England.
The HIV Action Plan identifies that regional directors of public health will provide system leadership on HIV at a regional level, and local governance arrangements take various forms. It is for regional and local systems to oversee relevant care provision. The Department has not assessed the adequacy of health care provision for those diagnosed with HIV in local or regional areas, including Slough and the South East.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning open access sexual health services, including HIV prevention and testing services, through the public health grant, funded at £3.6 billion in 2024/25. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the service lines that best suit their population. The UK Health Security Agency provides support to regions and local government, including helping areas to understand the local situation in depth and identify where to focus efforts.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure constituencies with a high prevalence of HIV are provided with adequate (a) healthcare provision, (b) prevention services and (c) support services.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach to driving progress and achieving our goal of ending new HIV transmissions, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. Rapid access to, and retention in, HIV treatment and care can support those diagnosed with HIV in living healthy lives and maintaining an undetectable viral load, meaning they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners.
As demonstrated by our success in meeting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’s 95-95-95 targets, England does very well on viral suppression and retention in care, with 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment, and 98% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load. HIV treatment and care remain world class in England, and most beneficial outcomes remain high across all population groups. HIV treatment is available free of charge from open access HIV clinics in the National Health Service, and funded by the Department though our budget allocation to NHS England.
The HIV Action Plan identifies that regional directors of public health will provide system leadership on HIV at a regional level, and local governance arrangements take various forms. It is for regional and local systems to oversee relevant care provision. The Department has not assessed the adequacy of health care provision for those diagnosed with HIV in local or regional areas, including Slough and the South East.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning open access sexual health services, including HIV prevention and testing services, through the public health grant, funded at £3.6 billion in 2024/25. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the service lines that best suit their population. The UK Health Security Agency provides support to regions and local government, including helping areas to understand the local situation in depth and identify where to focus efforts.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of health care provision for those diagnosed with HIV in (a) Slough and (b) the South East.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach to driving progress and achieving our goal of ending new HIV transmissions, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. Rapid access to, and retention in, HIV treatment and care can support those diagnosed with HIV in living healthy lives and maintaining an undetectable viral load, meaning they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners.
As demonstrated by our success in meeting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’s 95-95-95 targets, England does very well on viral suppression and retention in care, with 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment, and 98% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load. HIV treatment and care remain world class in England, and most beneficial outcomes remain high across all population groups. HIV treatment is available free of charge from open access HIV clinics in the National Health Service, and funded by the Department though our budget allocation to NHS England.
The HIV Action Plan identifies that regional directors of public health will provide system leadership on HIV at a regional level, and local governance arrangements take various forms. It is for regional and local systems to oversee relevant care provision. The Department has not assessed the adequacy of health care provision for those diagnosed with HIV in local or regional areas, including Slough and the South East.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning open access sexual health services, including HIV prevention and testing services, through the public health grant, funded at £3.6 billion in 2024/25. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the service lines that best suit their population. The UK Health Security Agency provides support to regions and local government, including helping areas to understand the local situation in depth and identify where to focus efforts.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that areas with a high prevalence of HIV receive support for delivering pre-existing HIV services.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach to driving progress and achieving our goal of ending new HIV transmissions, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. Rapid access to, and retention in, HIV treatment and care can support those diagnosed with HIV in living healthy lives and maintaining an undetectable viral load, meaning they cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners.
As demonstrated by our success in meeting the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’s 95-95-95 targets, England does very well on viral suppression and retention in care, with 98% of those diagnosed being on treatment, and 98% of those on treatment having an undetectable viral load. HIV treatment and care remain world class in England, and most beneficial outcomes remain high across all population groups. HIV treatment is available free of charge from open access HIV clinics in the National Health Service, and funded by the Department though our budget allocation to NHS England.
The HIV Action Plan identifies that regional directors of public health will provide system leadership on HIV at a regional level, and local governance arrangements take various forms. It is for regional and local systems to oversee relevant care provision. The Department has not assessed the adequacy of health care provision for those diagnosed with HIV in local or regional areas, including Slough and the South East.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning open access sexual health services, including HIV prevention and testing services, through the public health grant, funded at £3.6 billion in 2024/25. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need, and to commission the service lines that best suit their population. The UK Health Security Agency provides support to regions and local government, including helping areas to understand the local situation in depth and identify where to focus efforts.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she made of the adequacy of the HIV Action Plan deadline of 2030.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to ending new HIV transmissions, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030, and our HIV Action Plan from 2021 sets out how we will achieve our interim ambitions by 2025. The HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group, chaired by the Government's chief adviser for HIV, is supporting and driving forward the implementation of the HIV Action Plan, to ensure progress is in line with the plan's ambitions.
The UK Health Security Agency publishes an annual monitoring and evaluation report of the HIV Action Plan, which tracks progress towards achieving our long-term commitment to end new HIV transmissions, AIDS, and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. The 2023 report demonstrates progress made to date, with under 4,500 people living with undiagnosed HIV, and extremely high levels of antiretroviral therapy coverage and viral suppression. The report also highlights areas which needs further work, such as strengthening HIV prevention and testing, retainment in care, and tackling HIV related stigma. The report is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-monitoring-and-evaluation-framework.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Robert Carr Fund in advancing human rights of inadequately served populations.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is proud to be a long-term funder of the Robert Carr Fund (RCF), we consider it to be a very effective mechanism that supports the leadership, priorities and rights of some of the most marginalised people, in order to expand their access to the HIV, SRHR and health services they need.
Robert Carr is the world's leading international fund focused on funding global and regional networks led by, involving, and serving people who face a higher HIV risk than the general population, systematic human rights violations, and barriers to information and HIV and SRH services.
Working with community-led and grassroots organisations is key to achieving the targets in the Global AIDS Strategy. Our investment into the Robert Carr Fund, along with other organisations such as the Global Fund and UNAIDS, is important in helping countries to implement actions and make progress towards targets under the Strategy.