WORLD AIDS DAY 2003

Early day motion 13, tabled 26 November 2003 by Tim Yeo (Conservative). Signed by 74 members.

That this House notes the importance of World AIDS Day on 1st December and praises the National AIDS Trust for sponsoring this noteworthy campaign; wholeheartedly supports World AIDS Day and the National AIDS Trust's campaign, Do You Have Time?, which aims to increase awareness of HIV-related stigma and discrimination; further notes with grave concern that five million people worldwide were newly infected with HIV in 2002; is further concerned that there were three million AIDS deaths in 2002, the equivalent of over 8,000 deaths per day, that an estimated 42 million people were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2002, that also at this time the total number of AIDS deaths was 28.1 million and the total number of AIDS orphans was 13.2 million; further notes that in the United Kingdom 50,000 people were estimated to be living with HIV at the end of 2002 with 6,600 new cases diagnosed in 2002 alone; recognises stigma and discrimination as major factors fuelling the global HIV epidemic, creating a climate of fear and ignorance and a reluctance to confront rising infection rates; further notes that with its focus on stigma and discrimination, the World AIDS Campaign will encourage people to break the silence and the barriers to effective HIV/AIDS prevention and care; and calls on the Government to use its voice to educate and enlighten people of the dangers and consequences of AIDS as it is only through such action that the stigma associated with AIDS will be removed.

Signatures by party: Conservative 59, Labour 6, Liberal Democrat 3, UUP 2, DUP 1, Independent Conservative 1, Independent Ulster Unionist 1, Plaid Cymru 1.