HC Deb 19 December 1990 vol 183 cc237-9W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to account for the movement of people into metropolitan centres providing specialist treatment for HIV and AIDS in determining the charging system between health authorities for treatment of out-of-area patients.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Earmarked funds to the national health service for the treatment and care of people with HIV infection and AIDS are distributed on the basis of the numbers of live AIDS cases reported in each region. This method of allocation is to continue for 1991–92.

We are exploring what changes will be needed in arrangements for funding the provision of services for AIDS treatment and care post 1991–92 to take account of the new purchaser-provider functions of health authorities.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist AIDS facilities there are in London.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The majority of acute hospitals in the London area now have experience in looking after people with HIV infection and AIDS. Of these, Westminster (St. Stephen's), St. Mary's, the Middlesex, the Central Middlesex and the Royal Free hospitals have found the need to establish designated beds for the treatment of HIV because of high prevalence in their catchment areas.

In addition, a range of voluntary sector bodies provide community care for people with HIV and AIDS and have been given substantial Government financial support to assist them in this.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made in relation to the practice of insurance companies of sometimes not revealing the result of an HIV test to an applicant for life insurance who has undergone a test at the company's request.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We have discussed with the Association of British Insurers the procedures which insurers follow when asking an applicant for life insurance to have an HIV test. The Association of British Insurers has also discussed this issue with the Terrence Higgins Trust. The Association of British Insurers produced guidance in 1988 which laid out recommended procedures for counselling, and provided advice on the disclosure of a positive result to an applicant for life insurance. I understand from the Association of British Insurers that it intends to revise its guidance to include advice on the disclosure of negative results.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government have reconsidered their response to the recommendation in the seventh report from the Social Services Committee in Session 1988–89 that issuers should not ask proposers for life insurance whether they have ever had a test for HIV; and what steps the Government have taken since the publication of the report to consider with the insurance industry the effects of asking proposers whether they have ever had a test for HIV.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 11 December at column363.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Government intend to initiate a voluntary or compulsory process of contact tracing for HIV.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We have no plans to institute a mandatory procedure for contact tracing for HIV. It has always been the policy of staff of genito-urinary medicine clinics to counsel people who are HIV-positive of the desirability of informing their partners. Handling must be at the discretion of the staff of the clinics; the wishes of the person concerned are, and must remain, paramount.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds are paid to the voluntary sector for HIV-AIDS work, other than direct grants from his Department.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The Department makes substantial sums available to both health and local authorities for services for people affected by AIDS-HIV. Authorities are able to use these funds to make grants to voluntary groups in the AIDS field. However this is a matter for local discretion and the Department does not hold central records of such grants made.