CONFIDENTIALITY OF SEXUAL HEALTH ADVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

That this House commends the new campaign `Wise Up! Your rights on sexual health' launched by Brook, the sexual health charity for young people, which aims to protect young people's right to confidentiality in discussing matters of sexual health; notes that this campaign is supported by organisations including the British Medical Association, the General Medical Council, the Royal College of Nursing and the National Youth Agency; further notes that a recent survey by Brook found that 64 per cent. of young people, and 74 per cent. of young people under 16 years, said they would be less likely to seek advice on sexual health issues if they knew that health workers could pass on information about underage sexual activity to social workers; recognises that doctors can already breach young people's confidentiality where this is necessary to protect them from serious harm such as sexual abuse, but that any plans to make it compulsory to share information about the sexual activity of young people will be a strong disincentive for young people to receive sexual health advice and services, which could lead to a large increase in the number of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections; and urges the Government to protect the right to confidentiality for all young people discussing matters of sexual health.