AIDS (Hansard, 18 December 1986)

§ Mr. Michael Brown
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of staff of the new special health authority to replace the Health Education Council will be employed on AIDS education.

§ Mr. Newton
This will be a matter for the new authority to consider.

§ Mr. Galley
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to reduce the spread of AIDS among drug misusers.

§ Mr. Fowler
Drug misuse is a matter of grave concern. The Government are determined to do all that they can to tackle this problem. But in addition we have to recognise that the use of contaminated needles and syringes is one of the major ways by which the AIDS virus is spread to the general population. Worst of all, it is leading to the birth of babies already infected with the AIDS virus. Therefore, the Government propose to take two further measures.
First, we believe that it is essential to do all we can to reach drug misusers to explain both the dangers of drug misuse and of AIDS. We therefore propose to provide an extra £1 million in 1987–88 to enable drug misuse agencies to reach more drug misusers and to provide more counselling on AIDS.
Secondly, we intend to establish a number of special schemes in different parts of the United Kingdom. In addition to providing counselling as part of our wider programme, these schemes will include the exchange of used and possibly infected needles and syringes.
The first step will be to begin consultations with those most concerned locally—particularly the medical profession, the police and voluntary organisations.
The location and number of schemes will be settled in the light of these consultations.
In taking this initiative and in deciding which schemes should be chosen, the Government are taking into account that there are already some projects in operation that provide clean needles and syringes. We will wish to build on at least some of these projects in carrying forward the proposal.
An important part of these schemes will be to assess the effectiveness of such steps in preventing the spread of AIDS among drug misusers and hence to the general community.
These proposals take account of the recommendations in Dr. McClelland's report on the problem to the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Government, through more counselling, are aiming both to curtail the spread of AIDS and also to reduce the extent to drug misuse.