§ Mr. KeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list(a) local education authorities and (b) schools where allegations of inappropriate sex education have been reported in each of the past two years. [124357]
§ Mr. Stephen Twigg[holding answer 9 July 2003]: In the past two years, the Department has received letters expressing concerns over sex education in Leeds and Barking and Dagenham. In each case the correspondents were advised that headteachers and governors are responsible for making decisions about sex education in schools, in consultation with parents. In the first instance concerns should be raised with the schools. Governing bodies must ensure that teaching materials and programmes used for sex education are in accordance with the framework for Personal, Social and Health Education; and that inappropriate materials are kept out of the classroom. Consulting pupils and their families will help establish what is appropriate and acceptable to them. Where schools work within the SRE guidelines and consult effectively, parents should be reassured about the content of lessons.