Government figures show massive increase in local HIV diagnoses - Burstow

3.45.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 23rd Apr 2007

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, has called for urgent government action in response to information showing that the number of HIV cases diagnosed in Sutton almost doubled between 2001 and 2005. He also expressed his grave concern that figures originally issued by the government were found to be wildly inaccurate.

In March, Mr Burstow revealed figures obtained by his Liberal Democrat colleague, Hornsey and Wood Green MP Lynne Featherstone, in answer to a parliamentary question to the Department of Health. However, further investigation by a Sutton journalist revealed the figures to be incorrect, something which was later admitted by the Department of Health.

Mr Burstow spoke of the error:

"I was disappointed - but unfortunately not shocked - to learn that the Department had provided the wrong information in answer to this question."

However, in a letter received recently by Mr Burstow, the Department provides revised figures which show a 97% increase in HIV diagnoses in Sutton between 2001 and 2005. The number of diagnoses increased steadily from 94 in 2001 to 186 in 2005.

Mr Burstow is calling on the government to take immediate action to combat the increase. He will also be writing to Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust asking what steps they will be taking to tackle the problem.

Commenting on the information, Paul Burstow MP said:

"The inexorable rise in HIV diagnoses in Sutton is a cause for grave concern."

"It reveals the failure of the government's sexual health education program and the failure to address the rise of HIV among drug users in London.

"This problem is spreading and requires urgent action."

"By acting to prevent the rise in infections, the government will not only save lives, but also save the NHS millions."