SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION

Early day motion 472, tabled 22 January 2004 by Ann Winterton (Conservative). Signed by 16 members.

That this House notes the joint research project from the universities of Harvard and California demonstrating that the distribution of free condoms has failed to halt the rise in HIV; further notes the statement from Dr Edward Green, that 'the spread of the virus is a behavioural problem' and that 'having multiple sexual partners drives AIDS epidemics'; further notes that the research highlighted the experience of Uganda, where all sex education programmes promote 'abstinence and faithfulness' which has been followed by a 75 per cent. decline in HIV rates among 15 to 19 year olds making it the leading country in the world in successfully reducing the AIDS pandemic; further notes that the 2003 Annual Report of the United Kingdom Health Protection Agency states that 'increases in high-risk sexual behaviour may be driving increases in STI... and HIV incidence' and that in 2002 homo/bisexual men 'remained at greatest risk of acquiring HIV'; also notes that the same Report states that one in 10 sexually active young women in England and Wales are infected with chlamydia, this same group accounting for 66 per cent. of gonorrhoea cases and 62 per cent. of syphilis cases; further notes that the sexually transmitted infections epidemic has followed the intense promotion of free contraceptives and the morning-after pill among teenagers; further notes and congratulates the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health for her admission at Oral Questions on 20th January, Official Report, column 1206, that 'the best way to avoid STDs is to abstain from sexual activity'; and calls on the Government to follow the Ugandan example in promoting abstinence and faithfulness among the young in its teenage pregnancy strategy.

Signatures by party: Conservative 8, Labour 3, DUP 2, Independent Conservative 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.