Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce rates of sexually-transmitted disease among the 50 to 70 age group.

The Government’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement (2013) set out the ambition for improving sexual health and wellbeing of the population including continuing to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since 2013, local authorities have been mandated to provide genitourinary medicine and integrated services for the early diagnosis and treatment of STIs; these services are open-access with no upper age limit. STI prevention programmes are the responsibility of local authorities, and there are a variety of local initiatives underway across England.

Public Health England commissions a number of key partners to deliver services that aim to improve the sexual health of the population and include the HIV Prevention programme for most at-risk populations and national sexual and reproductive health information service. Both contracts deliver on behalf of Public Health England information and promotion of safer sexual behaviour that aims to empower individuals to make sustainable and safer sexual health choices. The materials and resources provided by both contracts are accessible to all adults.