asked the Minister for Health if he will, as a matter of extreme urgency, issue a statement to allay public fears that are being created, by the current widespread distribution by the organisation Family Solidarity, of a misleading leaflet claiming that ordinary social contact with someone who has the AIDS virus is unsafe; and if he will indicate the action he proposes to take to protect the public from the widespread distribution of this document.
Written Answers - Leaflet on AIDS.
21.
The AIDS information booklet being distributed as part of the Government's public information programme on AIDS, states quite clearly and unambiguously that there is no danger of getting AIDS from daily contact at work, school or at home. This statement is backed up by extensive international research. No case of transmission by social contact has ever been documented.
The Government spent £0.5 million in 1987 on its public information programme. The recently prepared evaluation of the programme revealed that there has been an improvement in people's knowledge and that a clear majority considered the programme to be very good in helping them to understand AIDS.
We will continue to build on this and important additional educational measures, aimed at the general public and at specific groups, are planned for 1988.