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<p>The Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive
open access sexual health services, including the provision of free contraception.
Contraception is also widely available free of charge through general practice. The
Government provides funding to local authorities for their public health responsibilities,
including sexual health services, through the public health grant. It is for individual
local authorities to decide their spending priorities based on an assessment of local
need, including the need for sexual health services taking account of their statutory
duties.</p><p>The Department secured a Spending Round settlement in 2019 for local
government, with the public health grant receiving a welcome increase in real terms
in 2020/21. Decisions on future funding will be a matter for the Spending Review.</p><p>No
specific assessment has been made of the impact of the public health grant on access
to contraception.</p><p>The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and Reproductive
Health’s report, ‘Women's Lives, Women's Rights: Strengthening Access to Contraception
Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic’, has raised a number of important issues. The recommendations
in the report will be considered as part of our upcoming work to develop the sexual
and reproductive health strategy.</p>
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