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The increase in the number of new HIV diagnoses has occurred for several reasons including:

increased testing for HIV of groups at risk of infection;the introduction of HIV antenatal screening;diagnosis of infections in the United Kingdom that were acquired abroad in countries of HIV prevalence;continuing transmission of HIV in the United Kingdom, mainly transmitted sexually between men; and

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the introduction of effective antiretroviral drug therapies in the mid-1990s, which may have led to an increase in HIV testing.

HIV incidence (newly acquired infections) is currently monitored through unlinked anonymous testing of men who have sex with men across a network of 15 sentinel genito-urinary medicine (GUM) clinics across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Data are analysed for London and outside London. There have been no statistically significant trends since 1996 in the incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men as measured through this sentinel surveillance system. In 2006, incidence of HIV among men who have sex with men was estimated at 2.1 per cent. For London the estimated incidence was 2.6 per cent and outside London it was 1.3 per cent. Men who have sex with men who attend GUM clinics are considered to be a higher risk of HIV than the general population of men who have sex with men and therefore are likely to have a higher incidence of HIV.

Available data about the estimated incidence of first AIDS and first AIDS-defining illness are shown in the table.

Incidence estimates of first AIDS and of the six major first AIDS-defining illness by year in the United Kingdom per 100 person years of follow-up
Year	AIDS	Pneumocystis pneumonia	Candidiasis	Kaposi's sarcoma	Wasting	Mycobacterium tuberculosis	Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
1995	19.1	5.9	3.7	2.8	1.4	1.4	1.2
2000	4.3	1.3	0.4	0.7	0.3	0.8	0.3
2004	2.2	0.7	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.7	0.1

Source: Health Protection Agency

Notes:

1. First AIDS or first AIDS-defining illness refers to the first occasion on which an individual has had AIDS or an AIDS-defining illness.

Data that are available on first AIDS diagnoses, which include newly acquired (incident) and existing (prevalent) infections, are shown in the table.

First AIDS diagnoses by country/SHA and year of diagnosis
Country and SHA of diagnosis	1990	1995	2000	2005
England
North-east	18	26	15	19
North-west	82	95	26	75
Yorkshire and Humberside	47	42	31	58
East Midlands	20	26	31	53
West Midlands	43	56	53	31
East of England	15	56	44	77
London	749	1,041	403	249
South-east Coast	56	98	57	66
South Central	46	47	25	42
South-west	50	76	42	35
England total	1,126	1,563	727	705
Wales	17	30	7	20
Scotland	0	0	0	0
Northern Ireland	6	13	5	7
United Kingdom Total	1,149	1,606	739	732

Source: Health Protection Agency

Notes:

1. First AIDS diagnosis refers to the first occasion on which an individual has been diagnosed with AIDS.

2. Numbers may rise as further reports are received, particularly for recent years. These diagnoses include newly acquired (incident) and existing (prevalent) infections.

3. In 1990 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 93 first AIDS diagnoses

4. In 1995 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 166 first AIDS diagnoses

5. In 2000 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 95 first AIDS diagnoses

6. In 2005 it was not possible to allocate the region of diagnoses for 58 first AIDS diagnoses

After a marked reduction in the number of AIDS cases following the introduction of antiretroviral drug therapy in the mid-1990s, numbers have remained consistently at a relatively low level.

Housing: Home Improvement Packs

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty’s Government:

When they plan to implement the scheme for home improvement packs for one-bedroom or two-bedroom properties; and what action they are taking to introduce the mandatory requirements to include energy performance certificates in home improvement packs for all domestic properties. [HL214]

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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement on home information packs given on 22 November (Official Report, WS 124-26).

Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is their estimate of the number of domestic energy assessors who will lose their jobs due to the delays in implementing the full home improvement packs. [HL215]

Baroness Andrews: This information is not held centrally. I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement on home information packs given on 22 November (Official Report, WS 124-26).

Housing: Rural Areas

Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they will respond to the recent report from the Commission for Rural Communities, Taking Forward the Recommendations of the Affordable Rural Housing Commission: Final Report, on the subject of affordable housebuilding in rural areas. [HL482]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): We are preparing a formal response to the Affordable Rural Housing Commission's final report. We expect it to be published in the first quarter of the new year.

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