Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to take steps to ensure that (a) NHS (i) guidance and (ii) resources on HIV and infant feeding follow British HIV Association guidelines and (b) trusts, (c) boards and (d) local authorities provide (A) tailored and (B) specialist lactation support to women with HIV that (1) is informed by evidence and (2) avoids stigma.

The Government is committed to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and is developing the new HIV Action Plan, which we aim to publish this year. The plan’s key objectives will include ensuring equitable access and uptake of HIV prevention programmes, improving quality of life for people living with HIV, and addressing stigma, and we are also considering how best to ensure mothers living with HIV can feed their children.

Whilst guidelines issued by professional bodies such as the British HIV Association are highly regarded in the provision of HIV care, these are non-mandated and it is the responsibility of local authorities to decide how best to implement the recommendations, in line with the needs of their local populations. The Government will continue to support local authorities through advice and guidance, informed by evidence, to ensure they provide the best possible HIV services to everyone and avoid stigma.