Became Member: 31st July 1999
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Barker, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
A Bill to decriminalise the consensual termination of a pregnancy which has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and in other prescribed circumstances; and to create a criminal offence for non-consensual termination of pregnancy
Baroness Barker has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular details of Ministerial meetings or discussions.
As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular details of Ministerial meetings or discussions.
As an executive non departmental public body, the EHRC is operationally independent of Government. Any decisions related to the investigation are a matter for the EHRC to handle under its rules and procedures.
As an executive non-departmental public body that is operationally independent, this is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to respond. I have attached the response from the Interim Chief Executive below.
As an executive non-departmental public body that is operationally independent, this is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to respond. I have attached the response from the Interim Chief Executive below.
As an executive non-departmental public body that is operationally independent, this is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to respond. I have attached the response from the Interim Chief Executive below.
As an executive non-departmental public body that is operationally independent, this is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to respond. I have attached the response from the Interim Chief Executive below.
As an executive non-departmental public body that is operationally independent, this is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to respond. I have attached the response from the Interim Chief Executive below.
As an executive non-departmental public body that is operationally independent, this is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to respond. I have attached the response from the Interim Chief Executive below.
In reference to discussions with EHRC with regards to the Countries list SI, I refer back to the previous answer to UIN 5635 on 14th December.
More broadly, as is the case with previous administrations, it is a long-established precedent that granular information about ministerial meetings is not disclosed. Equality Hub Ministers do however, engage regularly with the EHRC.
I refer back to the previous answer to UIN 5635 given on 14th December.
All statistics on the number of people acquiring Gender Recognition Certificates through the overseas route are published by HM Courts and Tribunals Service in their quarterly tribunal statistics release found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics.
The information in the table below presents the successful outcomes of GRC applications under section 1(1)(b) of the Gender Recognition Act 2004. Please note the third column in answer to your question.
Outcomes of overseas route applications for a gender recognition certificate [1] | ||||||||
Financial Year | Total | Full GRC Granted | Interim GRC granted 2 | Refused | Application Withdrawn | No Fee Paid | Error | Reopened |
2009/10 | 9 | 6 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | .. |
2010/11 | 22 | 9 | - | 5 | 7 | - | 1 | .. |
2011/12 | 13 | 8 | - | 4 | 1 | - | - | .. |
2012/13 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | .. |
2013/14 | 17 | 12 | - | 2 | 3 | - | - | .. |
2014/15 | 14 | 11 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | .. |
2015/16 | 12 | 7 | - | 2 | 3 | - | - | .. |
2016/17 | 14 | 12 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | .. |
2017/18 | 33 | 23 | - | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .. |
2018/19 | 27 | 15 | - | 7 | 3 | 2 | - | .. |
2019/20 | 27 | 23 | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | .. |
2020/21 | 33 | 27 | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | - | .. |
2021/22 | 33 | 30 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - |
2022/23 | 55 | 46 | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | 3 | - |
Source:Tribunal Statistics Quarterly (July to September 2023) Table GRP_3 Applications disposed of by the Gender Recognition Panel, by type of track and outcome, Q1 2009/10 to Q2 2023/24
To Note:
Full GRCs above relate only to those which are issued by the Panel.
[1] Details of which track to apply to can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/apply-gender-recognition-certificate
[2] Interim certificates are issued to successful applicants who meet the criteria for gender recognition but are a) not eligible to remain married following gender recognition because they were married under the law of Northern Ireland, b) eligible but either they and/or spouse have decided not to remain married after issue of full GRC, c) in a protected civil partnership where only one partner has applied for gender recognition (or where both have applied but only one was successful) or d) in a civil partnership but one which is not a protected civil partnership. In these circumstances once the successful applicant has ended their marriage or civil partnership, they can be issued a full GRC.
Key:
.. Not available
- zero
As a country with a proud history on LGBT equality, and with one of the world’s most comprehensive and robust legislative frameworks, the UK Government continues to be a leading funder of work to protect LGBT rights.
The Government has provided over £6 million in funding to prevent and respond to bullying in schools, including LGBT-related bullying, of which £1 million was announced this year. The Government continues to invest in relevant healthcare, including over £20 million to deliver the HIV Action Plan with the goal of eradicating new transmissions in the UK by 2030. We are providing up to £360,000 for the new conversion practices support service; have extended funding for the existing LGBT domestic abuse helpline with an uplift of £80,000 for 2022/23; and last year we provided £2 million for specialist ‘by and for’ victim support organisations, including LGBT victim services.
Internationally, in June, we announced a further £2.7 million to support human rights defenders and advance equalities and freedom across the Commonwealth. Since taking over as Chair-In-Office in 2018, the Government has invested over £11 million in the promotion and protection of LGBT rights across the Commonwealth.
Recently, significant work has been undertaken to identify the appropriate person to lead this important and high profile review. The Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Leo Docherty MP will announce the Chair shortly.
A military liaison officer has been assigned to the Review and the MoD Diversity and Inclusion Directorate is working to support the Review by coordinating pan-Defence engagement.
Recently, significant work has been undertaken to identify the appropriate person to lead this important and high profile review. The Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Leo Docherty MP will announce the Chair shortly.
A military liaison officer has been assigned to the Review and the MoD Diversity and Inclusion Directorate is working to support the Review by coordinating pan-Defence engagement.
The department works closely with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) at both a ministerial and official level. There have been a number of meetings between Ministers and departmental officials and the EHRC since December 2020, which are listed below:
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools from September 2020.
Whilst it is important that the statutory duty to teach the new subject still comes into force in September, given the current circumstances faced by schools, the department will reassure schools that there will be some flexibility. Schools that are prepared to teach the subjects should begin teaching from September 2020. Schools that are not ready to teach the subjects should aim to start preparations as soon as possible and begin teaching no later than the start of the summer term in 2021.
The department is committed to supporting schools in their preparations and is currently developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, an implementation guide, case studies and support to access resources. This support will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance and will be inclusive to all pupils. This will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months. Training will also be available for schools that need additional support. This will complement the online training materials and will be available through existing teaching schools’ regional networks.
As part of the consultation on the draft regulations and statutory guidance, the department included a number of questions on school support and implementation. The responses to the consultation, including from expert organisations and teachers, demonstrated that teachers want to receive training to support the delivery of the new subjects. The government response to the consultation can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.
The department has also been working extensively with teachers, schools and subject experts throughout the development of these subjects, to assess the needs of schools. We have also been working closely with over 1,500 early adopter schools. This has informed our investment in a central package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice in these subjects.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that the topics that are included in the core content listed in the statutory guidance are appropriately handled. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development. Routine Ofsted school inspections are currently suspended in order to alleviate pressure on school leaders and staff at this challenging time, and there are no plans to lift the suspension this term. When routine inspections do re-start, inspectors will be sensitive to, and will take account of, the context and circumstances of schools. Further information on this will be made available in advance of any re-introduction of routine inspections.
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools from September 2020.
Whilst it is important that the statutory duty to teach the new subject still comes into force in September, given the current circumstances faced by schools, the department will reassure schools that there will be some flexibility. Schools that are prepared to teach the subjects should begin teaching from September 2020. Schools that are not ready to teach the subjects should aim to start preparations as soon as possible and begin teaching no later than the start of the summer term in 2021.
The department is committed to supporting schools in their preparations and is currently developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, an implementation guide, case studies and support to access resources. This support will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance and will be inclusive to all pupils. This will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months. Training will also be available for schools that need additional support. This will complement the online training materials and will be available through existing teaching schools’ regional networks.
As part of the consultation on the draft regulations and statutory guidance, the department included a number of questions on school support and implementation. The responses to the consultation, including from expert organisations and teachers, demonstrated that teachers want to receive training to support the delivery of the new subjects. The government response to the consultation can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.
The department has also been working extensively with teachers, schools and subject experts throughout the development of these subjects, to assess the needs of schools. We have also been working closely with over 1,500 early adopter schools. This has informed our investment in a central package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice in these subjects.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that the topics that are included in the core content listed in the statutory guidance are appropriately handled. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development. Routine Ofsted school inspections are currently suspended in order to alleviate pressure on school leaders and staff at this challenging time, and there are no plans to lift the suspension this term. When routine inspections do re-start, inspectors will be sensitive to, and will take account of, the context and circumstances of schools. Further information on this will be made available in advance of any re-introduction of routine inspections.
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools from September 2020.
Whilst it is important that the statutory duty to teach the new subject still comes into force in September, given the current circumstances faced by schools, the department will reassure schools that there will be some flexibility. Schools that are prepared to teach the subjects should begin teaching from September 2020. Schools that are not ready to teach the subjects should aim to start preparations as soon as possible and begin teaching no later than the start of the summer term in 2021.
The department is committed to supporting schools in their preparations and is currently developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, an implementation guide, case studies and support to access resources. This support will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance and will be inclusive to all pupils. This will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months. Training will also be available for schools that need additional support. This will complement the online training materials and will be available through existing teaching schools’ regional networks.
As part of the consultation on the draft regulations and statutory guidance, the department included a number of questions on school support and implementation. The responses to the consultation, including from expert organisations and teachers, demonstrated that teachers want to receive training to support the delivery of the new subjects. The government response to the consultation can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.
The department has also been working extensively with teachers, schools and subject experts throughout the development of these subjects, to assess the needs of schools. We have also been working closely with over 1,500 early adopter schools. This has informed our investment in a central package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice in these subjects.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that the topics that are included in the core content listed in the statutory guidance are appropriately handled. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development. Routine Ofsted school inspections are currently suspended in order to alleviate pressure on school leaders and staff at this challenging time, and there are no plans to lift the suspension this term. When routine inspections do re-start, inspectors will be sensitive to, and will take account of, the context and circumstances of schools. Further information on this will be made available in advance of any re-introduction of routine inspections.
We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools from September 2020.
Whilst it is important that the statutory duty to teach the new subject still comes into force in September, given the current circumstances faced by schools, the department will reassure schools that there will be some flexibility. Schools that are prepared to teach the subjects should begin teaching from September 2020. Schools that are not ready to teach the subjects should aim to start preparations as soon as possible and begin teaching no later than the start of the summer term in 2021.
The department is committed to supporting schools in their preparations and is currently developing a new online service featuring innovative training materials, an implementation guide, case studies and support to access resources. This support will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance and will be inclusive to all pupils. This will be available in the summer term, with additional content added in the following months. Training will also be available for schools that need additional support. This will complement the online training materials and will be available through existing teaching schools’ regional networks.
As part of the consultation on the draft regulations and statutory guidance, the department included a number of questions on school support and implementation. The responses to the consultation, including from expert organisations and teachers, demonstrated that teachers want to receive training to support the delivery of the new subjects. The government response to the consultation can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780768/Government_Response_to_RSE_Consultation.pdf.
The department has also been working extensively with teachers, schools and subject experts throughout the development of these subjects, to assess the needs of schools. We have also been working closely with over 1,500 early adopter schools. This has informed our investment in a central package to help all schools to increase the confidence and quality of their teaching practice in these subjects.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that the topics that are included in the core content listed in the statutory guidance are appropriately handled. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Ofsted’s school inspection handbook sets out that inspectors will consider the provision for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health Education as part of a wider judgment of pupils’ personal development. Routine Ofsted school inspections are currently suspended in order to alleviate pressure on school leaders and staff at this challenging time, and there are no plans to lift the suspension this term. When routine inspections do re-start, inspectors will be sensitive to, and will take account of, the context and circumstances of schools. Further information on this will be made available in advance of any re-introduction of routine inspections.
The new subjects of relationships education (for primary age pupils), relationships and sex education (for secondary age pupils) and health education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) will become compulsory in September 2020. Many schools are already teaching aspects of these subjects as part of their sex and relationship education provision or personal, social, health and economic education programme. Schools have flexibility to determine how to deliver the new content in the context of a broad and balanced curriculum.
The department is committed to supporting teachers to teach the new subjects with confidence, and to a high quality which is why we are developing a central programme of support for schools for these subjects, which will be available to all teachers from spring 2020.
Our programme of support will offer opportunities for teachers to improve subject knowledge, build confidence and access classroom resources. We will ensure that all of the department’s materials supporting implementation of the new subjects are inclusive, and recognise fully the need to disseminate the good practice in teaching about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships that is seen in large numbers of our schools as well as the importance of reflecting the needs of pupils with a special educational need or disability when planning the curriculum for these subjects. Our budget this year of up to £6 million for implementing the new subjects will ensure that this support for teachers will be accessed through a new online service and will include an implementation guide. This will accompany the statutory guidance, case studies from other schools, access to quality assured resources and innovative materials to support staff training.
Training for teachers will also be available through existing regional networks, and we are working with expert organisations, schools and teachers to develop this package. The department is also working with ‘early adopter schools’, some of whom have chosen to start teaching some or all of the new content early, in order to support their journey, learn lessons and share good practice. Last year we held 4 national conferences for those schools who are ‘early adopter schools’.
The new subjects of relationships education (for primary age pupils), relationships and sex education (for secondary age pupils) and health education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) will become compulsory in September 2020. Many schools are already teaching aspects of these subjects as part of their sex and relationship education provision or personal, social, health and economic education programme. Schools have flexibility to determine how to deliver the new content in the context of a broad and balanced curriculum.
The department is committed to supporting teachers to teach the new subjects with confidence, and to a high quality which is why we are developing a central programme of support for schools for these subjects, which will be available to all teachers from spring 2020.
Our programme of support will offer opportunities for teachers to improve subject knowledge, build confidence and access classroom resources. We will ensure that all of the department’s materials supporting implementation of the new subjects are inclusive, and recognise fully the need to disseminate the good practice in teaching about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender relationships that is seen in large numbers of our schools as well as the importance of reflecting the needs of pupils with a special educational need or disability when planning the curriculum for these subjects. Our budget this year of up to £6 million for implementing the new subjects will ensure that this support for teachers will be accessed through a new online service and will include an implementation guide. This will accompany the statutory guidance, case studies from other schools, access to quality assured resources and innovative materials to support staff training.
Training for teachers will also be available through existing regional networks, and we are working with expert organisations, schools and teachers to develop this package. The department is also working with ‘early adopter schools’, some of whom have chosen to start teaching some or all of the new content early, in order to support their journey, learn lessons and share good practice. Last year we held 4 national conferences for those schools who are ‘early adopter schools’.
It is essential that as wide a range of people as possible, have the opportunity to take up cycling, in all its forms. The Government is aware that the costs of non-standard cycles can be a barrier for many disabled people. In July 2020 the Prime Minister launched ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking in England, including a commitment to increasing access to e-cycles (including adapted e-cycles) by setting up a new national e-cycle support programme, to help those who are older, have to travel longer distances or are less able to take up pedal cycling. Adapted and non-standard cycles can already be hired through the Cycle to Work scheme, which means that disabled people in employment are able to access them at a significant discount. The Department will keep under review the case for further support for adapted and non-standard bicycles.
During the period between 1 and 7 February 2021, 19,342 HIV testing kits were dispatched, and 84 were reactive. The following table shows, using the data currently available, the number of HIV testing kits that were ordered and dispatched for National HIV Testing Week (NHTW) campaigns between 2019/20 and 2022/23:
England Total | Ordered kits | Dispatched kits | HIV reactive | HIV reactivity |
2019/20 | 19,863 | 19,496 | 81 | 0.8% |
2020/21 | 30,612 | 30,876 | 135 | 0.7% |
2021/22 | 24,409 | 23,520 | 75 | 0.6% |
2022/23 | 22,408 | 21,626 | 79 | 0.4% |
Notes:
NHTW focuses on communities disproportionately affected by HIV though tests are available to be ordered by anyone in England. We have some data available on the demographic profile of people requesting an HIV testing kit during NHTW, with 44% of HIV testing kit requests in 2023 coming from gay and bisexual men who have sex with men.
Black African people’s uptake of testing kits has tripled since 2021, accounting for 10% of orders made. During NHTW in 2023, self-testing kits were made available for the first time and were particularly popular amongst black African groups. The percentage of heterosexual men who requested a testing kit has doubled since 2021, from 11% to 22% in 2023 and the percentage of heterosexual women has also steadily increased year on year.
We continue working closely together with our key partners in the HIV Prevention Programme monitoring and evaluating the results of the campaign to ensure we continue progressing towards our 2030 ambitions.
During the period between 1 and 7 February 2021, 19,342 HIV testing kits were dispatched, and 84 were reactive. The following table shows, using the data currently available, the number of HIV testing kits that were ordered and dispatched for National HIV Testing Week (NHTW) campaigns between 2019/20 and 2022/23:
England Total | Ordered kits | Dispatched kits | HIV reactive | HIV reactivity |
2019/20 | 19,863 | 19,496 | 81 | 0.8% |
2020/21 | 30,612 | 30,876 | 135 | 0.7% |
2021/22 | 24,409 | 23,520 | 75 | 0.6% |
2022/23 | 22,408 | 21,626 | 79 | 0.4% |
Notes:
NHTW focuses on communities disproportionately affected by HIV though tests are available to be ordered by anyone in England. We have some data available on the demographic profile of people requesting an HIV testing kit during NHTW, with 44% of HIV testing kit requests in 2023 coming from gay and bisexual men who have sex with men.
Black African people’s uptake of testing kits has tripled since 2021, accounting for 10% of orders made. During NHTW in 2023, self-testing kits were made available for the first time and were particularly popular amongst black African groups. The percentage of heterosexual men who requested a testing kit has doubled since 2021, from 11% to 22% in 2023 and the percentage of heterosexual women has also steadily increased year on year.
We continue working closely together with our key partners in the HIV Prevention Programme monitoring and evaluating the results of the campaign to ensure we continue progressing towards our 2030 ambitions.
During the period between 1 and 7 February 2021, 19,342 HIV testing kits were dispatched, and 84 were reactive. The following table shows, using the data currently available, the number of HIV testing kits that were ordered and dispatched for National HIV Testing Week (NHTW) campaigns between 2019/20 and 2022/23:
England Total | Ordered kits | Dispatched kits | HIV reactive | HIV reactivity |
2019/20 | 19,863 | 19,496 | 81 | 0.8% |
2020/21 | 30,612 | 30,876 | 135 | 0.7% |
2021/22 | 24,409 | 23,520 | 75 | 0.6% |
2022/23 | 22,408 | 21,626 | 79 | 0.4% |
Notes:
NHTW focuses on communities disproportionately affected by HIV though tests are available to be ordered by anyone in England. We have some data available on the demographic profile of people requesting an HIV testing kit during NHTW, with 44% of HIV testing kit requests in 2023 coming from gay and bisexual men who have sex with men.
Black African people’s uptake of testing kits has tripled since 2021, accounting for 10% of orders made. During NHTW in 2023, self-testing kits were made available for the first time and were particularly popular amongst black African groups. The percentage of heterosexual men who requested a testing kit has doubled since 2021, from 11% to 22% in 2023 and the percentage of heterosexual women has also steadily increased year on year.
We continue working closely together with our key partners in the HIV Prevention Programme monitoring and evaluating the results of the campaign to ensure we continue progressing towards our 2030 ambitions.
We remain committed to improving sexual and reproductive health in England, including for women from all groups.
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach in England to drive forward progress and achieve our goal to end new HIV transmissions, AIDS and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. A key principle of our approach is to ensure that all populations benefit equally from improvements made in HIV outcomes, including women.
As part of the HIV Action Plan, the Department is investing over £3.5 million from 2021-2024 to deliver the National HIV Prevention Programme, a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence and for communities at risk of HIV transmission, with a particular focus on black African women. HIV Prevention England (HPE) aims to improve knowledge and understanding of HIV transmission and reduce stigma within affected communities through the delivery of public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, and evidence-based HIV prevention interventions in partnership with local organisations and charities, including women-led organisations.
HPE works with a wide range of models and their network of influencers. As part of HPE campaigns, a range of people share their stories and experiences on HIV, STIs and sexual health this includes women and other people who are likely to be recognisable to specific demographics.
Since 2013, the Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive open access to most sexual health services, including free and confidential HIV testing, and provision of the HIV prevention drug PrEP through the Public Health Grant, funded at £3.4 billion overall in 2022/23. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need and to commission the service lines that best suit their population.
In 2022, we published the Women’s Health Strategy for England setting out our 10-year ambitions and actions to improve health for women and girls.
We remain committed to improving sexual and reproductive health in England, including for women from all groups.
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach in England to drive forward progress and achieve our goal to end new HIV transmissions, AIDS and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. A key principle of our approach is to ensure that all populations benefit equally from improvements made in HIV outcomes, including women.
As part of the HIV Action Plan, the Department is investing over £3.5 million from 2021-2024 to deliver the National HIV Prevention Programme, a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence and for communities at risk of HIV transmission, with a particular focus on black African women. HIV Prevention England (HPE) aims to improve knowledge and understanding of HIV transmission and reduce stigma within affected communities through the delivery of public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, and evidence-based HIV prevention interventions in partnership with local organisations and charities, including women-led organisations.
HPE works with a wide range of models and their network of influencers. As part of HPE campaigns, a range of people share their stories and experiences on HIV, STIs and sexual health this includes women and other people who are likely to be recognisable to specific demographics.
Since 2013, the Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive open access to most sexual health services, including free and confidential HIV testing, and provision of the HIV prevention drug PrEP through the Public Health Grant, funded at £3.4 billion overall in 2022/23. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need and to commission the service lines that best suit their population.
In 2022, we published the Women’s Health Strategy for England setting out our 10-year ambitions and actions to improve health for women and girls.
The HIV Action Plan is the cornerstone of our approach in England to drive forward progress and achieve our goal to end new HIV transmissions, AIDS and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030. A key principle of our approach is to ensure that all underserved populations benefit equally from improvements made in HIV outcomes, including marginalised women. This includes scaling up HIV testing in targeted, high-risk populations and increasing equitable access to and use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Initial analysis recently published by the UK Health Security Agency show that HIV opt-out testing in emergency departments in local authority areas with extremely high HIV prevalence has been particularly successful at reaching women with HIV testing. The HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group is developing a roadmap to help guide our efforts to improve equitable access, uptake and use of PrEP to meet the needs of key populations at significant risk of HIV, including heterosexual and transgender women, which is expected to be made available by the end of the year.
HIV Prevention England delivers a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work designed to complement locally commissioned HIV prevention in areas with high HIV prevalence and for communities at risk of HIV transmission, with a particular focus on women, and includes the promotion of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions such as condom use.
We remain committed to the aims of the NHS Long Term Plan, investing at least £2.3 billion of extra funding a year in expanding and transforming mental health services in England by March 2024. This extra funding will enable an extra two million people, including those who identify as LGBT, to be treated by National Health Service mental health services by March 2024.
The funding includes £110 million to expand adult mental health services including NHS Talking Therapies (formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). In 2021/22, there were 1.81 million referrals to talking therapies in England, compared to 1.46 million in 2020/21. 1.24 million referrals started a course of treatment within this year.
We also provided an additional £500 million in 2021/22 to accelerate our expansion plans to address waiting times for mental health services, give more people the mental health support they need, and invest in the NHS workforce.
The Advancing Mental Health Equalities strategy published by NHS England in 2020 helps set expectations for providers and commissioners to identify opportunities and drive forwards improvements to address inequalities in access to and experience of mental health services. The strategy supports local systems to tailor services to meet the needs of their local populations, including LGBTQ+ people. This includes improvements to the quality and use of data and information, for example the Equality Data Quality Guidance to help improve the collection of demographic data in the Mental Health Services Dataset, and a range of initiatives to improve diversity and representation in the mental health workforce.
The Major Conditions Strategy will tackle groups of conditions that contribute most to morbidity and mortality across the population in England including cancers, cardiovascular disease including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health and musculoskeletal conditions.
Dementia, rather than other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, has been identified because it is the leading cause of death in women and the second biggest cause of death for men.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR funded the Menopoz Study which completed in 2018 and aimed to explore the impact of the menopause on HIV-positive women's wellbeing and engagement with HIV care in the UK.
NIHR does not currently fund any specific research into women who are living with HIV and are experiencing the menopause but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Department funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). Since 2017/18, NIHR has spent £35,679,615 on HIV research and support thereof. There are no current plans to assess the HIV portfolio specifically, but NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including HIV.
NIHR actively and openly support patient and public involvement and engagement in research. Applicants are required to provide additional guidance to ensure that there is an explanation of the relevance and importance of the study from the patient/public perspective. In Autumn 2022, the NIHR published the EDI Strategy 2022-2027, available in an online-only format, which sets out how NIHR will become a more inclusive funder of research and widen access to participation. The strategy refers to guidance produced from the NIHR INCLUDE project, also available in an online-only format, which aims to improve the inclusion of under-served groups, for example those with lower representation in research and clinical trials than would be expected, such as women.
Ensuring everyone benefits equally from HIV developments is the cornerstone of our approach in England to achieve our ambitions to end new HIV transmissions, AIDS- and HIV-related deaths by 2030, as set out in our HIV Action Plan, available in an online-only format.
As part of the Plan, NHS England is investing £20 million from 2022-2025 to support the expansion of opt-out HIV testing in emergency departments in local authority areas with extremely high prevalence of HIV. We are also investing more than £3.5 million from 2021-2024 to deliver the National HIV Prevention Programme which supports communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, including black African heterosexual women.
The UK Health Security Agency published a HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation report in 2022, which tracks progress across priority actions and identifies further efforts needed across the system to improve equitable access to HIV services for key population groups, including women. We continue working together with our delivery partners to ensure equity in prevention, treatment, and HIV care, and we are developing a plan to improve equitable access to the HIV prevention drug PrEP for key groups, including women.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive open access to most sexual and reproductive health services, including HIV prevention, testing and access to PrEP, through the Public Health Grant, funded at £3.5 billion in 2023-24. It is for individual local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local need and to commission the service lines that best suit their population.
The Department also funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which recently published an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, setting out how NIHR will become a more inclusive funder of research and widen access to participation, including for women.
We remain committed to improving sexual and reproductive health, including reducing rates of syphilis, in England and are considering the need for further government plans. In 2021, we published our policy paper Towards Zero - An action plan towards ending HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths in England - 2022 to 2025, available in an online-only format, which sets out the actions that we are taking to move towards ending HIV transmissions and HIV and AIDS related deaths within England by 2030. In August 2022 we also published the Women’s Health Strategy for England which sets out our 10-year ambitions and actions we are taking to improve health for women and girls including reproductive health.
We have not made a specific assessment of a correlation between the Government’s public health funding and rates of syphilis and gonorrhoea in England.
Local government is responsible for commissioning sexual health services through the public health grant, and the Government allocated more than £3 billion for the public health grant in 2022/23. We will announce the 2023/24 public health grant allocations to local authorities in due course.
We remain committed to improving sexual and reproductive health, including reducing rates of syphilis, in England and are considering the need for further government plans. In 2021, we published our policy paper Towards Zero - An action plan towards ending HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths in England - 2022 to 2025, available in an online-only format, which sets out the actions that we are taking to move towards ending HIV transmissions and HIV and AIDS related deaths within England by 2030. In August 2022 we also published the Women’s Health Strategy for England which sets out our 10-year ambitions and actions we are taking to improve health for women and girls including reproductive health.
We remain committed to improving sexual and reproductive health, including reducing rates of syphilis, in England and are considering the need for further government plans. In 2021, we published our policy paper Towards Zero - An action plan towards ending HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths in England - 2022 to 2025, available in an online-only format, which sets out the actions that we are taking to move towards ending HIV transmissions and HIV and AIDS related deaths within England by 2030. In August 2022 we also published the Women’s Health Strategy for England which sets out our 10-year ambitions and actions we are taking to improve health for women and girls including reproductive health.
We are considering actions to ensure that the sexual health workforce has the required capacity and skills to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of the population in multiple settings. Further information will be available in due course.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, open access sexual health services, and it is for them to decide on commissioning arrangements, including workforce skills mix and size, based on an assessment of local need for sexual and reproductive health services.
We are considering actions to ensure that the sexual health workforce has the required capacity and skills to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of the population in multiple settings. Further information will be available in due course.
Local authorities in England are responsible for commissioning comprehensive, open access sexual health services, and it is for them to decide on commissioning arrangements, including workforce skills mix and size, based on an assessment of local need for sexual and reproductive health services.
The Department continues to collaborate with cross-Government partners, NHS England and the voluntary and community sector to address HIV-related discrimination and reducing stigma. The Department and the UK Health Security Agency are monitoring experiences of stigma among people living with HIV through the Positive Voices survey, which will be available in 2023.
The UK Health Security Agency published the online only ‘HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework’ on 1 December 2022. This monitors the progress made towards the Plan’s ambitions, which includes improving quality of life and reducing stigma.
The framework states that further work will be undertaken with the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group and with professional groups, the HIV community and academic partners to develop indicators to monitor quality of life for those living with HIV. It is anticipated that these indicators will be aligned with UNAIDS’ 2025 AIDS Targets, which include an assessment of punitive laws and policies and targets of less than 10% of people living with HIV experiencing stigma and discrimination and less than 10% experiencing gender inequality and violence.
The UK Health Security Agency published the online only ‘HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework’ on 1 December 2022. This monitors the progress made towards the Plan’s ambitions, which includes improving quality of life and reducing stigma.
The framework states that further work will be undertaken with the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group and with professional groups, the HIV community and academic partners to develop indicators to monitor quality of life for those living with HIV. It is anticipated that these indicators will be aligned with UNAIDS’ 2025 AIDS Targets, which include an assessment of punitive laws and policies and targets of less than 10% of people living with HIV experiencing stigma and discrimination and less than 10% experiencing gender inequality and violence.
We are currently establishing a workforce task and finish group to report to the HIV Action Plan Steering Group. The task and finish group will be comprised of delivery partners, such as the voluntary and community sector and NHS England and will explore how to improve the care provided, including the transition between young and adult HIV care and treatment services and coordinating care in multiple clinical specialties.
NHS England is also reviewing the national service specification for adult HIV services, which sets out the standards of care for providers, including the availability of community, psychological and psychosocial support for patients.
Specialised HIV inpatient and outpatient services have been identified as areas for greater integrated leadership by NHS England and integrated care boards (ICBs). Integrating the commissioning of HIV treatment services with ICBs will allow local systems to simplify and strengthen HIV care pathways with other services through effective local partnerships, including psychosocial support and mental health services, for a more holistic approach to care.
A workforce task and finish group will be established via the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group to consider enhanced training for the health and care workforce to address the stigma associated with HIV and to improve knowledge and understanding of transmission and prevention.
In addition, we provided approximately £4 million for a national HIV prevention programme from 2021 to 2024 delivered by Terrence Higgins Trust, which aims to reduce levels of HIV-related stigma within affected communities. The UK Health Security Agency continues to monitor experiences of stigma in those living with HIV through the Positive Voices survey, which will be available in 2023.
We are currently exploring models of peer support networks in order to share the effectiveness of voluntary sector-led support networks, including with commissioners and voluntary groups. An HIV Action Plan Community Advisory Group has been established, which includes representatives of the voluntary and community sector, including those living with HIV. The Group will report to the HIV Action Plan Implementation Steering Group to provide advice and expertise.
In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.
The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year.
In December 2021, we announced that an independent review of the impact of the Sexual Health, Reproductive Health and HIV Innovation Fund had been commissioned. The review has now been completed and we are currently considering its findings to inform further steps in 2022. Decisions on future investment in the Fund will be made in due course. In 2021/22, £300,000 was allocated to the Innovation Fund.
The Fund aims to support projects which address inequalities and focus on those with poor sexual and reproductive health and HIV outcomes. Bids for funding have previously been assessed on sustainability and how learning will be shared across the sector, including into national services. A library of resources and learning from projects supported by previous Funds is being compiled and will be published later this year.