Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have given consideration to the establishment of a holistic strategy for sexual health and HIV specifically for ethnic minority communities.

The Department’s A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England (2013) sets out our ambitions to improve the sexual health of the whole population including ethnic minority communities. A copy of the Framework is attached.

In addition, Public Health England’s Health promotion for sexual and reproductive health and HIV: Strategic action plan, 2016 to 2019 highlights the sexual health inequalities within black African and black Caribbean communities that are disproportionately affected by HIV and sexually transmitted infections in different ways. The document highlights that activities that promote condom use and address stigma and discrimination should be supported in both communities, but the primary focus of health promotion activities should differ. The priority should be to increase HIV testing among black African communities, and to promote condom use and reduce sexual risk behaviours among black Caribbean communities. A copy of the Strategic action plan is attached.