Sexual health services in England will be "transformed" with a new £300 million programme unveiled by John Reid.

The health secretary said the three year programme will include a £50 million advertising campaign to tackle the rise in sexually transmitted infections.

New figures, published on Thursday, from the Health Protection Agency show a rise in STIs, including an eight per cent increase in Chlamydia infections over the past year.

"Sexually transmitted infections have been rising steadily over the past few years. Rates have virtually trebled among men and women over the last 10 years," Reid said.

"Prevention messages are not getting through. We need to act now on sexual health - and make it a priority.

"We will run an advertising campaign, the biggest on sexual health in twenty years, which tells people, especially young people, of the consequences of irresponsible sexual behaviour and of sexually transmitted diseases.

"Chlamydia is a particular worry, as it has no symptoms in many cases, but can lead to infertility in later life if it is not diagnosed and treated."

White paper

The public health white paper, published last week, set out further action on Chlamydia, including the fast tracking of the national screening programme.

It also contained plans for piloting screening in more accessible places like pharmacies.

The £80 million programme will cover the whole of England by March 2007.

There will also be a focus on modernising genito urinary clinics, with an injection of a further £130 million over three years.

And the government aims to cut waiting times to those clinics with the goal of all patients being seen within 48 hours by 2008.

Preventative measures such as encouraging contraception will also get a £40 million boost.