Under-age 'safe sex' plan alarms clinics

A national campaign against unprotected under-age sex could lead to longer waiting lists for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, the Department of Health has admitted.

Officials from the department surprised an all-party group of MPs last week when they said the genito-urinary medicine clinics (GUMs) could not cope with demand if the campaign was launched without careful preparation.

David Hinchliffe, the Labour chairman of the Commons select committee on health, said later he was surprised by the admission.

The Government has already announced an extra £47.5m for initiatives in its sexual health programme.

Another Labour member of the committee, Julia Drown, said it showed the need for the Government to commit more resources in the Chancellor's comprehensive spending review, to be announced around 10 July, to combating the record levels of sexually transmitted diseases.

The committee will be cross-examining the Health minister Hazel Blears about plans to let nurses in schools issue condoms to girls under the legal age of consent, to reduce teenage pregnancies.

Ministers are planning a £2m autumn campaign about the risks of unprotected sex, targeting teenagers.

Ms Drown said last night that she welcomed the remarks on BBC radio by one 16- year-old in support of the provision of safe sex education in schools. "She spoke about girls being proud to be virgins. We need boys saying the same thing."

There is nervousness among ministers that a campaign supported by family campaigners to "say no" would fail. Ministers are also concerned about seeming to adopt a nannying approach to teenagers who are having sex.

The Government has funded an expansion of the GUM clinics but the plan says reducing waiting times "will take time and will depend on both new investment and modernisation of services".

Efforts would be made to remove the stigma of seeking help for suspected sexually transmitted diseases. Ms Drown said MPs could help by making public visits to local GUM clinics.

In schools, the plan says, effective teaching should enable young people to understand human sexuality, build self-esteem and understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity.

From next year, there will be practical guidance for teachers and better support for parents in talking to their children about sex and relationships.

Ms Drown also called on the Government to introduce national screening for chlamydia, without waiting for the results of more pilot schemes, through which screening will be offered to women on 10 sites at a cost of £1.5m.

By 2004, new technology will allow the results to be given to the women in 40 minutes, at 50 centres around the country.