HC Deb 16 April 1985 vol 77 cc121-2
2. Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the change in the number of blood donors since the recent publicity about acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security (Mr. John Patten)

Figures for recent months on the number of donations are not yet available. However, inquiries suggest that there has been some reduction in donations in the past few months. It is not possible to distinguish how much of this is due to publicity on AIDS and how much to other factors such as the bad weather experienced earlier this year.

Our revised leaflet for blood donors concerning AIDS was of course deliberately designed to cause those in the high risk groups to refrain from donation. I should like to take this opportunity to reassure all members of the public that there is absolutely no risk of contracting AIDS through donating blood.

Mr. Dubs

Does the Minister agree that there is an acute shortage of blood for the transfusion services and that at least some of the shortage is caused by people's reluctance to go to blood transfusion centres for fear of being refused the chance to donate blood because of AIDS? Does the hon. Gentleman agree that he should take further action to encourage more people to give blood?

Mr. Patten

Preliminary figures show a drop in donations of 5 or 6 per cent. in the first three months of this year. People should not be inhibited from donating blood, because there is no risk of their contracting AIDS. All the equipment is sterile and it is all disposed of immediately after use; it is used only once. We are spending £250,000 in the current financial year to encourage more people to be blood donors.

Mr. Key

Does my hon. Friend agree that those of us who are blood donors have a responsibility to give a lead? Can he assure us that the HTLV 3 test, which is promised for July, is still on target, because that will give great hope to the regional blood transfusion authorities?

Mr. Patten

Yes, we hope to have a screening test within a few weeks.

Mr. Carter-Jones

Will the hon. Gentleman encourage the regions to send blood to the Elstree fractional unit to get the better and safer use of blood?

Mr. Patten

That is a very good idea, especially in the run up to the opening of the new blood products laboratory at Elstree, which is on target for completion in January 1986 at a cost of £35 million.