Chamber
Plenary, 15 Jun 2005
15 Jun 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Sexual Health
Sexual health is a controversial subject on which people have deeply held views. However, given the rising rates of diagnosed sexually transmitted infections among people of all ages, to do nothing or to do little would be irresponsible. Like Mike Rumbles, I was surprised to hear Nanette Milne's speech on behalf of the Conservative party. Like Nanette Milne, I am a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee, so I was surprised to hear the stance that she took this afternoon.
In 2003, the partnership agreement committed us to developing and implementing a national sexual health strategy; in November 2003, the then Minister for Health and Community Care launched our consultation document on the strategy and the strategy has now been launched in 2005. We did all that because we knew that to have done nothing would be unacceptable.
The important strategic aims are to promote respect and responsibility; to prevent—through education, service provision and support—sexually transmitted infections; and to provide better sexual health services that are safe and, importantly, local and appropriate. It is important to recognise that young people from deprived areas are often most vulnerable and that sexual health problems are both a symptom and a cause of social inequality. We are committed, through many different policy initiatives, to working in partnership with local organisations to tackle the causes of social inequality, which include low aspirations and lack of opportunity.
My constituency in Fife has benefited from the work of the Fife sexual health strategy group. The group, which was formed about six years ago, has created two three-year strategies, the second of which is now coming to an end. During the summer, the group will consider the next three-year strategy, which will follow the Executive's guidance. The group consists of representatives of local groups, including voluntary sector groups such as FRAE—fairness, race awareness and equality—Fife, Fife Men, Fife Health Council and key players from Fife Council and the health service in Fife. Much of the group's work has focused on schools and on researching materials that are used in schools.
People in Fife who work in sexual health have emphasised the benefits that accrue from the coterminous boundaries of different agencies that Fife enjoys. Thanks to Scottish Executive funding, plans are well advanced to integrate genito-urinary well-being, family planning and reproductive health services; the necessary research is almost complete. I would also like to mention the work of Clued Up in my constituency. The group initially dealt with young people and drugs, but has expanded to provide drop-in services that suit young people, including professional advice on sex and sexually transmitted diseases. Those services were asked for by young people.
Nationally, we must recognise the impact of parenting skills, domestic and sexual abuse and culture and religion on sexual health. We must ensure a co-ordinated approach and make full use of expertise at national and local levels. We must ensure that all levels of government work in a joined-up way so that the aims of the strategy are realised. Therefore, I am pleased that the strategy document recommends that the sexual health strategy should be linked with the Executive's wider policies on lifelong learning, equity and diversity, social inclusion and alcohol and drugs misuse.
In taking that approach, we acknowledge the strong link between social disadvantage and early initiation into sexual activity, and the challenge of tackling sexually transmitted infection among the people who are at highest risk in our communities. Through education and support, we must create a culture in which young people can take responsibility for and ownership of their sexual health. If we are to foster healthy attitudes towards relationships, parental involvement is important, as is the role of our schools; they can work hand in hand.
Importantly, the strategy endorses the World Health Organisation's definition of sexual health, which is:
"A state of physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sex experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled."
Respect and responsibility are the key objectives of the strategy—they are what is needed. On behalf of the survivors of childhood sexual abuse cross-party group, I thank the minister for his help and support in progressing our agenda of respecting and protecting our children. It is important to put that on the record. I thank everyone who has worked with us to take that agenda forward.
As the minister indicated, the strategy is not just about young people; it is about tackling poor sexual health wherever it is found. To do that we need commitment across the board at all levels. We need continuing education and support and a change in attitudes. I agree with Patrick Harvie when he says that a one-sizes-fits-all approach is not the way forward. However, the respect and responsibility strategy sets out clearly an action plan that will allow us to tackle and prevent sexual ill-health wherever it exists. I support the motion.
In 2003, the partnership agreement committed us to developing and implementing a national sexual health strategy; in November 2003, the then Minister for Health and Community Care launched our consultation document on the strategy and the strategy has now been launched in 2005. We did all that because we knew that to have done nothing would be unacceptable.
The important strategic aims are to promote respect and responsibility; to prevent—through education, service provision and support—sexually transmitted infections; and to provide better sexual health services that are safe and, importantly, local and appropriate. It is important to recognise that young people from deprived areas are often most vulnerable and that sexual health problems are both a symptom and a cause of social inequality. We are committed, through many different policy initiatives, to working in partnership with local organisations to tackle the causes of social inequality, which include low aspirations and lack of opportunity.
My constituency in Fife has benefited from the work of the Fife sexual health strategy group. The group, which was formed about six years ago, has created two three-year strategies, the second of which is now coming to an end. During the summer, the group will consider the next three-year strategy, which will follow the Executive's guidance. The group consists of representatives of local groups, including voluntary sector groups such as FRAE—fairness, race awareness and equality—Fife, Fife Men, Fife Health Council and key players from Fife Council and the health service in Fife. Much of the group's work has focused on schools and on researching materials that are used in schools.
People in Fife who work in sexual health have emphasised the benefits that accrue from the coterminous boundaries of different agencies that Fife enjoys. Thanks to Scottish Executive funding, plans are well advanced to integrate genito-urinary well-being, family planning and reproductive health services; the necessary research is almost complete. I would also like to mention the work of Clued Up in my constituency. The group initially dealt with young people and drugs, but has expanded to provide drop-in services that suit young people, including professional advice on sex and sexually transmitted diseases. Those services were asked for by young people.
Nationally, we must recognise the impact of parenting skills, domestic and sexual abuse and culture and religion on sexual health. We must ensure a co-ordinated approach and make full use of expertise at national and local levels. We must ensure that all levels of government work in a joined-up way so that the aims of the strategy are realised. Therefore, I am pleased that the strategy document recommends that the sexual health strategy should be linked with the Executive's wider policies on lifelong learning, equity and diversity, social inclusion and alcohol and drugs misuse.
In taking that approach, we acknowledge the strong link between social disadvantage and early initiation into sexual activity, and the challenge of tackling sexually transmitted infection among the people who are at highest risk in our communities. Through education and support, we must create a culture in which young people can take responsibility for and ownership of their sexual health. If we are to foster healthy attitudes towards relationships, parental involvement is important, as is the role of our schools; they can work hand in hand.
Importantly, the strategy endorses the World Health Organisation's definition of sexual health, which is:
"A state of physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sex experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled."
Respect and responsibility are the key objectives of the strategy—they are what is needed. On behalf of the survivors of childhood sexual abuse cross-party group, I thank the minister for his help and support in progressing our agenda of respecting and protecting our children. It is important to put that on the record. I thank everyone who has worked with us to take that agenda forward.
As the minister indicated, the strategy is not just about young people; it is about tackling poor sexual health wherever it is found. To do that we need commitment across the board at all levels. We need continuing education and support and a change in attitudes. I agree with Patrick Harvie when he says that a one-sizes-fits-all approach is not the way forward. However, the respect and responsibility strategy sets out clearly an action plan that will allow us to tackle and prevent sexual ill-health wherever it exists. I support the motion.
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...