§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what research proposals his Department has received for studies into the relationship between drug abuse and AIDS and HIV infection in Edinburgh and Lothian region, and into the transmission of HIV infection to babies; and what response his Department has made to those proposals to date.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe Scottish Home and Health Department has received, and is at present funding, five research projects costing in total £160,000 relevant to the relationship between drug abuse and AIDS and HIV infection. The Department has received one application relating to the transmission of HIV infection to babies for which funding was not recommended by the Chief Scientist's biomedical research committee on the grounds of scientific merit.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Rifkind[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 383]: In June 1986 the staff of my Department were issued with comprehensive guidance on AIDS which was based on material provided to all departments by the Management and Personnel Office and the Civil Service Occupational Health Service. Further guidance, based on the Department of Employment-Health and Safety Executive booklet "AIDS and Employment", is currently being prepared for issue to staff.
§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any current or former staff of his Department have been found to have developed AIDS or antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.
§ Mr. Rifkind[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 383]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health on Wednesday 22 April.
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§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonask ed the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to arrange for staff of his Department to be screened for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.
§ Mr. Rifkind[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1987, c. 383]: No.