Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, a) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the needs of women are reflected in national and local HIV strategies, policies and decision-making structures, b) what action his Department is taking to address evidence and data gaps relating to HIV in women, including disparities in access to HIV prevention, testing and diagnosis, and c) what measures his Department is taking to increase awareness and understanding of HIV among women.

The HIV Action Plan for England, 2025 to 2030, sets out five core priorities needed to reach our ambition to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. One of these priorities is to address stigma and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV, including a national action to ensure the needs of women living with HIV are considered and addressed in future work. The plan also includes an action for local partners to embed HIV awareness into wider women’s health strategies.

Furthermore, the Department is committed to increasing the awareness and understanding of HIV. We are investing £4.8 million from 2026 to 2029 in the newly procured National HIV Prevention England Programme. This programme aims to increase awareness and understanding of HIV and reduce levels of HIV related stigma, particularly for communities disproportionately affected by HIV, such as Black African heterosexual women.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) will continue to publish HIV surveillance data, new HIV diagnoses, prevention, and outcome indicators, for all populations, including for women. The UKHSA has also committed to work with the voluntary and community sector to publish a specific report on HIV in women that will focus on key trends in HIV diagnoses in women, and highlight any disparities for women in relation to access to testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and treatment and care.