§ Lembit ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is taking to ensure that sexual health services and contraception advice for young people are made more accessible; and if he will make a statement. [171170]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government are working to improve access to sexual health services and contraception advice for young people through both the "Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV."
The first ever "National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV" (2001) (which links closely to the Government's teenage pregnancy strategy) identifies young people as a priority group for action. The Department's 'Sex Lottery' and the teenage pregnancy (RUthinking) media campaigns are raising awareness among young people of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and how to avoid them. We are also tackling the most common STI through our national chlamydia screening programme, which already covers a quarter (84) of primary care trusts in England. Further details on the Strategy and its implementation are available from the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/sexualhealthandhiv/.
The teenage pregnancy strategy aims to tackle the high levels of teenage pregnancy. Increasing and improving access to contraception and sexual health advice services is also a very important part of this work.