§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that any future video produced by his Department stresses that those who are celibate before marriage and faithful within it and who do not use drugs are a virtually no-risk group as far as AIDS infection is concerned;
(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that any future video produced by his Department for use in schools does not promote the idea that practices other than normal heterosexual relations between husband and wife are acceptable.
§ Mr. DunnMy right hon. Friend has made it clear that schools have a responsibility to inform pupils of the facts about AIDS and to encourage them to behave responsibly and to avoid behaviour which may place them at risk. Under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, it is the responsibility of governors of schools to decide whether and how sex education shall be given in their schools. Subject to that, pupils should understand how HIV infection may be passed on through sexual activity, both homosexual and heterosexual, and through the use of shared injecting equipment. They must also appreciate that the safest life style—and also the best—is to avoid casual or promiscuous sexual behaviour and to remain faithful to a single sexual partner, who is also faithful, and to avoid drug abuse.
Far from encouraging youngsters to experiment sexually, any responsible programme of teaching about AIDS should alert them to the dangers. In particular, there is no place in any school in any circumstances for teaching which advocates homosexual behaviour, which presents it as the "norm", or which encourages homosexual behaviour by pupils. These messages are written into the DES/Welsh Office video package for schools, "Your Choice for Life", and will form part of any other initiatives from my Department to promote and support the education service's response to AIDS.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to ensure that any future video produced by his Department for use in schools does not promote the idea that sexual activity by children under the age of 16 is acceptable.
§ Mr. DunnMy right hon. Friend has made clear on many occasions the need for schools to ensure that pupils appreciate the physical, emotional and moral risks of early sexual experimentation and of casual or promiscuous 399W sexual behaviour. The threat posed by AIDS lends added urgency and importance to these aims. It is also essential that pupils understand the law as it relates to heterosexual and homosexual activity, including the respective ages of consent. These points were emphasised in the Department's circular 11/87, "Sex Education at School", and further stressed in the users' guide which forms an integral part of the DES/Welsh Office AIDS video resource package for schools "Your Choice for Life".
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to ensure that any future video produced by his Department for use in schools does not promote the idea that drug taking by non-injective means is acceptable.
§ Mr. DunnThe Department has a wide-ranging strategy to combat the drugs problem among young people: the aim is to prevent the misuse of drugs in any form. This is made clear in any materials produced.
Proposls to establish voluntary aided schools Local Education Authority Name of school Denomination Size School type Gender Decision type Knowsley New St. Dom/St. Columba's RC Comprehensive RC n/a Secondary Co-ed Approved Cleveland New CE Aided Primary C of E n/a Primary Unknown Approved ILEA New mixed Secondary Non-denom n/a Secondary Co-ed Rejected ILEA New mixed Secondary Non-denom n/a Secondary Co-ed Rejected Gateshead New St. Edmund Campion RC Comprehensive RC n/a Secondary Co-ed Approved Gateshead New St. Thomas More RC Comprehensive RC n/a Secondary Co-ed Approved Surrey New RC First and Middle RC n/a Primary Unknown Approved Leicestershire New RC Primary RC n/a Primary Unknown Approved Derbyshire New Secondary Non-denom n/a Secondary Unknown Approved Kent New Primary Non-denom n/a Primary Unknown Approved with modifications Berkshire New Ecumenical Middle Other n/a Primary Unknown Approved Staffordshire New Primary Non-denom n/a Primary Unknown Approved Knowsley New Voluntary Aided Comprehensive Non-denom n/a Secondary Unknown Approved Buckinghamshire New RC Secondary RC n/a Secondary Unknown Approved Cheshire New CE Primary C of E n/a Primary Co-ed Approved Dorset New CE Primary C of E n/a Primary Unknown Approved Enfield Latymer All Saints Primary C of E n/a Primary Co-ed Approved Bury New Jewish Primary School Jewish 240 Primary Co-ed Approved Manchester New RC Primary RC n/a Primary Co-ed Approved Bury St. Monica's RC Secondary RC 975 Secondary Co-ed Approved Rochdale New RC Secondary RC 900 Secondary Co-ed Approved Staffordshire A New Primary School Non-denom 210 Primary Co-ed Approved Coventry Cardinal Wiseman RC Secondary RC 1,500 Secondary Co-ed Approved Oldham New Mixed RC Secondary RC 1,155 Secondary Co-ed Approved Durham Shildon St. John's CE Infant and Junior C of E 370 Primary Co-ed Approved Cheshire Winsford St. Joseph's RC Primary RC 360 Primary Co-ed Approved Cambridgeshire William Law C of E Primary, Wessington C of E 420 Primary Co-ed Approved Berkshire New Combined School RC 420 Primary Co-ed Approved Berkshire New Combined School RC 270 Primary Co-ed Approved Enfield New St. Ignatius RC Secondary RC n/a Secondary Co-ed Approved Dorset Verwood CE Middle School C of E n/a Primary Co-ed Approved ILEA Lubavitch House School Jewish n/a Primary Co-ed Rejected (segregated classes) St. Helens New RC High School RC 900 Secondary Co-ed Approved St. Helens New RC High School RC 900 Secondary Co-ed Approved St. Helens New RC Sixth Form College RC 375 Secondary Co-ed Approved Sefton New Primary School C of E 350 Primary Co-ed Approved Bolton New Mount St. Joseph/St. Augustine RC Secondary RC n/a Secondary Co-ed Approved with modifications Bolton New Thornleigh/St. Cuthberts RC Secondary RC n/a Secondary Co-ed Approved with modifications