Rules that prohibit gay men from giving blood are to be reviewed, the Government has announced.

Currently there is a 12-month “celibacy” period required for men who have sex with other men who want to give blood regardless of whether they use protection or are in long-term relationships.

Many people, including doctors, have questioned the logic behind the ban, which was introduced after the rise in HIV but dropped by France earlier this month.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Public Health Minister Jane Ellison confirmed there would be a review of the issue in the UK.

“Making sure that the blood supply is safe is an absolute priority,” she said. “Donor deferral for men who have sex with men was changed from lifetime to 12 months in 2011 but four years later it is time to look again at the question.

“Public Health England has just undertaken an anonymous survey of donors and I am pleased to say that the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs will review the issue in 2016.”

Ms Ellison added that the blood service does not discriminate on sexual orientation. “The deferral period is based on sexual activity and it applies to a number of other groups other than just men who have sex with men,” she added

Ms Ellison was responding to a question from the Conservative MP Michael Fabricant, who questioned why it was taking so long to lift the ban.

“The safety of blood is of course paramount… but many clinicians feel it is long overdue,” he said. “[When are] we are finally going to achieve equality in this matter?”

A spokesperson for the equalities group Stonewall said they were “delighted” by the review.

“We want a donation system that is fair and based on up-to-date medical evidence,” the spokesperson said.

“Currently gay people cannot give blood if they have had sex in the past 12 months, regardless of whether they used protection.

“Yet straight people who may have had unprotected sex can donate. These current rules are clearly unfair and we want to see people asked similar questions – irrespective of their sexual orientation – to accurately assess the risk of infection.”