SEXUAL HEALTH

That this House welcomes the publication of the report by the Health Select Committee into sexual health; congratulates the Committee for this report and the recommendations contained therein; welcomes the Committee's confirmation of the concerns which the Conservative Party has been expressing for a number of years; is extremely concerned that the UK is suffering a public health crisis as a result of which around one in 10 sexually active young women are currently infected with chlamydia, syphilis rates have increased by 500 per cent. in the last six years, and gonorrhoea rates have doubled over the same period; is further concerned that since NHS sexual health clinics are clearly unable to cope with the current demand the situation seems certain to worsen; regrets the Government's abject failure to heed the Conservative Party's repeated demands to tackle the sexual health crisis, to recognise the seriousness of that crisis and to take the urgent action needed to tackle it; endorses the Committee's assessment that the present sexual health crisis has resulted from inadequate political pressure and leadership over recent yers, the absence of a patient voice, insufficient central guidance emphasising the importance of sexual health and a severe lack of performance management; and supports the Committee's recommendation urging a strong commitment to making sexual health a priority and to improving how young people are educated about relationships and sex in order to prevent the situation confronting the next generation of young people from becoming worse still.