Mr. Hain: The Hiv/Aids Crisis in Africa is a major development policy priority for the UK Government and there is an on-going dialogue between FCO, DFID and other Government Departments on HIV/AIDS policy both at the international level and within the African region.

The noble Lord, Lord St John of Bletso, the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Craig of Radley, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Bristol, the noble Lord, Lord Howell of Guildford and others mentioned the Hiv/Aids Crisis, which is a key challenge for Southern Africa.

This in a country where one out of five children will not live to see their 5th birthday, and where the impact of the Hiv/Aids Crisis has reduced life expectancy to 40 years.

Due to the Hiv/Aids Crisis, life expectancy there is expected to fall from 43 to 33 years—a level last experienced in Europe 348WH in mediaeval times.

Due to the Hiv/Aids Crisis, life expectancy there is expected to fall from 43 to 33 years - a level last experienced in Europe in mediaeval times.

Does the Minister recognise that the Churches have played a pivotal role throughout Africa in dealing with the Hiv/Aids Crisis?

My Lords, does the Minister agree that the Hiv/Aids Crisis presents problems on a new scale?

However, it is an inescapable fact - I must congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie on raising the Hiv/Aids Crisis - that were it not for the AIDs crisis, the food crisis would not be as great.

I am aware that other hon. Members wish to speak, so I shall end my contribution by posing a number of questions to the Minister about the Government's future policy on the international Hiv/Aids Crisis.

The reward would not only be preventing the Hiv/Aids Crisis escalating ever more; recent estimates also suggest that the economic boom for everyone would be US$186bn each year.

Those grounds will necessarily include the trauma arising from the acts of genocide, torture and the use of food as a political weapon; from the collapse of the rule of law; the Urgent Hiv/Aids Crisis and the famine daily more apparent.

The famine has exacerbated the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

The Hiv/Aids Crisis provides a framework within which we must view poverty in Africa.

In recent years, the International Development Committee has been concerned with many issues, including the Hiv/Aids Crisis and climate change and its impact on poorer countries.

Then there is the Crisis of Hiv/Aids in Africa, to which noble Lords have referred.

There is no simple solution to Hiv/Aids Crisis.

Most countries in the developing world do not have the infrastructure to deal with the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

Members have touched on a whole series of different aspects of the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

It is a matter for the Us Administration, but as the hon. Gentleman knows, we are strong supporters of the UNFPA, because work on reproductive health in particular is fundamental to improving mothers' health and to a better life for children, and it is also fundamental to tackling the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

TB kills 2 million people a year, and we all know the terrible statistics of the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

No one in the Chamber is in any doubt about the magnitude of the Hiv/Aids Crisis and how vital tackling it is to our future and that of others.

In the face of a growing Hiv/Aids Crisis, we cannot allow red tape and bureaucratic inertia to cost lives.

That is why I hope that the continuing response to the Hiv/Aids Crisis takes special account of the impact of the pandemic on older people, who are often left as carers, and on women of all ages.

We are seeing a reversal of the development gains that have been made in sub-Saharan Africa in the past 20 to 30 years because of the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

We all know, and have heard again today, that the Crisis of Hiv/Aids continues.

The resolution clearly recognises that Parliaments need to share their experience of tackling the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

The Government's priorities are to support an international response in tackling the Hiv/Aids Crisis in Zimbabwe and to support orphans and vulnerable children.

It is therefore vital that we do not lose sight of threats from global warming because of the Immediate Hiv/Aids Crisis.

Others referred to the Hiv/Aids Crisis, the lack of water, and the fact that too many of Africa's children do not have access to primary school education.

Conflicts are costing African economies an average of $18 billion each year -desperately needed money, which could solve the Hiv/Aids Crisis, prevent TB and malaria or provide clean water, sanitation and education.

We are spending £10 million a year tackling the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

As the world has belatedly come round to the urgency of the Hiv/Aids Crisis, there has been some progress on the ground.

Thirdly, there has been the Hiv/Aids Crisis.

Conflicts are estimated to cost African economies an average of $18 billion a year-desperately needed money which could solve the Hiv/Aids Crisis, prevent TB and malaria or provide clean water, sanitation and education.

Whether or not there is widespread access to effective treatments, the Hiv/Aids Crisis can never be brought under control and the dream of an AIDS-free world by 2030, which the noble Baroness, Lady Barker talked about, will remain impossible while consensual same-sex relationships remain criminal in so many parts of the globe.

As my noble friend Lord Bruce of Bennachie made clear, public health is now a global issue and we have, in the last 20 years or so, because of the Hiv/Aids Crisis and others, developed ways in which we can globally address those issues.