§ Mr. Strawasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what criteria were used in deciding not to place advertising for the "Danger of Aids" campaign in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe criterion used in the selection of media is that of cost-effective cover of the target audiences.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to arrange for staff of his Department to be screened for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.
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§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 407]: No.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any current or former staff of his Department have been found to have developed AIDS or antibodies to HIV.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 407]: AIDS and HIV infection are not notifiable diseases and there is no obligation on staff to disclose their infection. Such information as any Department may have is therefore inevitably incomplete and is anyway subject to the normal rules of medical confidentiality.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to ensure that staff of his Department are warned about those homosexual and other activities which are deemed to involve a high risk of AIDS infection.
§ Mr. Newton[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 407]: In April 1986 the Management and Personnel Office, after consulting the Government's chief medical officer, circulated all Departments with guidance to managers and model notes for staff. This Department drew on those notes and in June 1986 provided guidance for staff. I understand that copies of the MPO guidance are available in the Library. In addition, members of staff will have received copies of the Department's leaflet distributed to all households in the United Kingdom in January 1987.