§ Mrs. HealTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the provisions for the teaching of sex education in schools.
§ Mr. AtkinsSchool governing bodies are responsible, under the provisions of the Education (No 2) Act 1986, for deciding whether their schools should provide sex education beyond those aspects required by the national curriculum; and for maintaining a written record both of that decision and of their policy on the content and organisation of any six education they decide should be provided. Schools are required to ensure that any sex education they may provide encourages pupils to have due regard to moral considerations and the value of family life. The circular "Sex Education at School", issued by the Department in 1987, offers guidance on these provisions.