Sexual Health

EDM number 12 in 2003-04, proposed by Tim Yeo on 26/11/2003.

That this House notes with extreme concern that the United Kingdom is suffering a sexual health crisis as a result of which around one in 10 sexually active young women are currently infected with chlamydia, that syphilis rates have increased by 500 per cent. in the last six years, and that gonorrhoea rates have doubled over the same period; is further concerned that National Health Service sexual health clinics are clearly unable to cope with the current demand; 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 Health Select Committee's report on sexual health and its assessment that the present sexual health crisis has resulted from inadequate political pressure and leadership over recent years, the absence of a patient voice, insufficient central guidance emphasising the importance of sexual health and a severe lack of performance management; welcomes the Committee's confirmation of the concerns which the Conservative Party has been expressing for a number of years; and supports the Committee's recommendation urging a strong commitment to making sexual health a priority and to improving the way in which 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.

This motion has been signed by a total of 64 MPs.