HL Deb 17 February 1987 vol 484 cc991-3

2.53 p.m.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what action has been taken to publish AIDS information leaflets in Asian languages, or to assist voluntary organisations to do so.

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, we are urgently considering how best to ensure that essential information about AIDS reaches people from ethnic minorities, particularly those who have difficulty reading and understanding English, in ways that are sensitive to the needs of each community. On 5th February, my honourable friend the Minister for Health attended a meeting with representatives of the ethnic press. The department will consider carefully all the views expressed in devising a strategy for carrying forward this important aspect of its public information campaign.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, while much appreciating the fact that a meeting was held on 3rd February, I should like to ask the noble Lord whether he accepts the fact that there are three quarters of a million people—immigrants and refugees—whose knowledge of English is slight? Can he explain why it is when the Government think that this is an extremely important matter, (as I know they do) that the provision of publications for these people in their own languages is only now being considered? Is the noble Lord aware that applications have been made by organisations representing immigrant groups, and so far there has been no response to such applications from the department.

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Ennals, will be aware, this is a sensitive subject. The reason for the meeting on 5th February was to establish the requirements and feelings of certain ethnic minorities. We have already started to consider certain aspects, and we are trying to make progress as fast as possible. The department is considering a request from the League of Chinese for funding to help them to produce and distribute an AIDS leaflet to 10,000 addresses throughout the country. At the meeting on 5th February other ideas were discussed which are being taken seriously and considered at this time.

Lord Monson

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware of a report in the Observer on 8th February which revealed that a Newcastle hematologist is of the opinion that the AIDS virus can live outside the body for between seven and 15 days? If this fact is correct, should the Government be warning not only the Asian community but the whole country of the possible dangers of eating food or handling goods prepared by potential AIDS carriers?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, I am unable to answer the noble Lord's question on this occasion because I am unaware of the Newcastle hematologist; but I shall write to him.

Lord Ritchie of Dundee

My Lords, perhaps I may ask the Minister whether or not in this Question due account has been taken by the Government of the considerable extent of illiteracy in the country among English speaking people? Therefore, there is the probability that the leaflets will arrive in a number of households where they will not be read because the family are illiterate.

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, on television there has been a heavy emphasis on the subject for this very reason. At the present time the department is also looking at special groups of the disabled where there are problems such as those mentioned by the noble Lord.

Lord Ennals

My Lords, I should like to say how grateful I am for the fact that the Chinese leaflet may now be financed by means other than voluntary contributions made by the Chinese-speaking population. Can the Minister say what other languages are now being considered? Does this situation not cover 15 to 20 languages which are important in Britain?

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, first I should like to thank the noble Lord for his thanks. Secondly, I cannot give him details of the precise number of languages, but there are a number of different languages under discussion. I am aware of this fact from a document which I read two days ago.

Viscount St. Davids

My Lords, would the noble Lord confirm a feeling that a number of noble Lords have: that much as these pamphlets are needed—and they are badly needed, that in so far as concerns the Asian population owing to the strength of their religion and other customs there is likely to be a rather less number of AIDS cases among them than among other people.

Lord Hesketh

My Lords, I am not an expert in the field in which the noble Lord has raised the point.