Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to tackle the stigma faced by BAME people living with HIV to help ensure they engage with medical professionals.

The Minister for Women and Equalities leads on policy relating to women, sexual orientation and transgender equality. We encourage organisations that provide HIV prevention and treatment services to proactively engage with the BAME lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population.

The LGBT Action Plan includes a commitment on tackling HIV transmission, AIDS and HIV-related deaths. Public Health England are disseminating results from their ‘Positive Voices’ survey to tackle the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV.

Public Health England and the Department for Health and Social Care are responsible for sexual health policy. The Government Equalities Office work with those departments to tackle health inequalities faced by LGBT people, including those who are BAME.