Chamber
Plenary, 15 Jun 2005
15 Jun 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Sexual Health
I will take no more interventions.
We want an assurance that the sexual health strategy will not undermine the authority of parents by providing a plethora of state-sponsored expert advice.
We welcome the Executive's efforts to promote positive sexual health in Scotland, to tackle the widespread problems of teenage pregnancy and STIs, to address the difficulties that are faced by people of all ages—including those who have disabilities and impairments—and to deal with the specific health and discrimination issues that confront the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. We also welcome the fact that education programmes will take the form of abstinence-plus education, which aims to delay the onset of sexual activity.
However, improving sexual health and changing behaviour will need the co-operation of the NHS, schools, the media, the voluntary sector and—above all—parents and individuals, who must take responsibility for managing their own sexual health and maximising their sexual well-being. The passing of much of that responsibility to schools is symptomatic of many of the social problems that face communities in Scotland today, which are the result of parents refusing to take the necessary responsibility for their children's actions.
The Executive must acknowledge that centrally directed strategies such as its sexual health and relationships strategy will have a limited reach. I reiterate that it should publicly affirm that parents have the primary responsibility for ensuring that their children are brought up with respect for themselves and others.
I move amendment S2M-2958.1, to leave out from "and welcomes" to end and insert:
"believes, however, that centrally directed sexual health strategies, such as the Executive's sexual health and relationships strategy, will have a limited reach, and considers that the Executive should publicly affirm the primary responsibility of parents in ensuring that their children are brought up with respect for themselves and others."
We want an assurance that the sexual health strategy will not undermine the authority of parents by providing a plethora of state-sponsored expert advice.
We welcome the Executive's efforts to promote positive sexual health in Scotland, to tackle the widespread problems of teenage pregnancy and STIs, to address the difficulties that are faced by people of all ages—including those who have disabilities and impairments—and to deal with the specific health and discrimination issues that confront the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. We also welcome the fact that education programmes will take the form of abstinence-plus education, which aims to delay the onset of sexual activity.
However, improving sexual health and changing behaviour will need the co-operation of the NHS, schools, the media, the voluntary sector and—above all—parents and individuals, who must take responsibility for managing their own sexual health and maximising their sexual well-being. The passing of much of that responsibility to schools is symptomatic of many of the social problems that face communities in Scotland today, which are the result of parents refusing to take the necessary responsibility for their children's actions.
The Executive must acknowledge that centrally directed strategies such as its sexual health and relationships strategy will have a limited reach. I reiterate that it should publicly affirm that parents have the primary responsibility for ensuring that their children are brought up with respect for themselves and others.
I move amendment S2M-2958.1, to leave out from "and welcomes" to end and insert:
"believes, however, that centrally directed sexual health strategies, such as the Executive's sexual health and relationships strategy, will have a limited reach, and considers that the Executive should publicly affirm the primary responsibility of parents in ensuring that their children are brought up with respect for themselves and others."
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-2958, in the name of Andy Kerr, on sexual health, and three amendments to the motion.
The Minister for Health and Community Care (Mr Andy Kerr):
Lab
As MSPs are aware, the Executive decided to produce a sexual health strategy because sexual health in Scotland is undeniably poor. The number of unintended t...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
In response to the statement made by the minister on 27 January this year, the Scottish National Party gave a broad welcome to the Executive's strategy and a...
Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
It is now 40 years since the advent of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s put women in charge of their reproductive lives. As a result, society has changed ...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
Can Nanette Milne perhaps bring herself to mention any positive benefits that have come from women taking control of their reproductive lives?
Mrs Milne:
Con
I can indeed. As I have said, women have been given untold freedom. It is not all negative, but I am highlighting the downsides simply because we know that s...
Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab):
Lab
I agree with Mrs Milne that parents have a key role to play in assisting in any sexual health strategy, but does she agree that her overemphasising of that r...
Mrs Milne:
Con
We know that there are parents who are not best equipped to educate their children, but we must look at giving them support. It is a multi-agency problem, an...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will Mrs Milne give way?
Mrs Milne:
Con
I have given way twice already. Sexual health education is a complex subject. It needs to help all children with their confidence and self-esteem—not just th...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
Will the member give way?
Mrs Milne:
Con
I will take no more interventions.We want an assurance that the sexual health strategy will not undermine the authority of parents by providing a plethora of...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
I will try to follow that speech with a seriousness that it does not deserve.Yesterday, I talked at an event that the Telephone Helplines Association organis...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
The strategy and action plan for improving sexual health are all about ensuring that a culture of respect and responsibility based on sound values is at the ...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
How would the member define "equitable"? Is there a role for parents in contributing to the decision-making process?
Mike Rumbles:
LD
Of course parents have a role to play, but we are talking about taking an equitable approach so that all school kids throughout Scotland have the same inform...
Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab):
Lab
Sexual health is a controversial subject on which people have deeply held views. However, given the rising rates of diagnosed sexually transmitted infections...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
My question to the minister is, "Why are we having this debate?" Is it just to announce the formation of a committee? If that is the reason, it is a bit feeb...
Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
Fiona Hyslop asked why we are having the debate. She also asked many questions that I want answers to. One of the reasons why we are having the debate is tha...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I think that Carolyn Leckie is being a bit hard on the Conservatives. There are at least two men on our benches, but there are no Scottish Socialist Party ma...
Carolyn Leckie:
SSP
That is because we bumped them out of the debate.There is a serious point to be made here. There is an element of right-wing reaction, particularly in relati...
Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab):
Lab
I am surprised that the question has been asked why we are having this debate. It is more than five months since the Executive published a major, long-awaite...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Given comments that were made earlier in the debate, I feel that I am the token male on the Conservative benches. However, I think that I have something to c...
Mike Rumbles:
LD
Alex Johnstone has missed the point. What members objected to in Nanette Milne's speech was the fact that she was advocating that people should be able to ve...
Alex Johnstone:
Con
I believe that Mike Rumbles has misunderstood what was said. I hope to address that in greater detail as I progress.The Parliament has become famous for the ...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
Bigots.
Alex Johnstone:
Con
Well, that is a fairly simple definition, and one that perhaps does not belong in the debate. That is not what we are talking about today.The truth is that I...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I have some sympathy with Fiona Hyslop. How much more can we say about this subject? I came to the debate thinking, "What on earth can I talk about this time...
Alex Johnstone:
Con
Is the fact that so many parents are unable to fulfil that responsibility not one of the primary issues that we need to address?
Linda Fabiani:
SNP
The need to remove the stigma about such matters is an issue, as Susan Deacon explained very well. However, we also need to address reality: some parents are...