Hansard

I join the minister in thanking the expert group for the work that it has done, albeit under the direction of the minister. I agree with one thing that the minister said early on in his speech—the emphasis that he placed on respect and relationships. I heartily agree that that should be the basis of today's debate.

No one can argue with the fact that Scotland's sexual health is poor, or with the fact that it is worse in the more deprived sections of the community. As Shona Robison said, we have to look at things in that way. Our society is becoming less responsible as the state tries to involve itself in everything and to dictate from the centre. Education and parental—not national—leadership, coupled with a new sense of responsibility, must be our target.

As I said, this debate is about relationships and respect as much as anything else. Many young people regret starting a sexual relationship and, as the minister said, many start far too young. Research shows that boys feel similarly to girls on that issue. Peer pressure is certainly a major factor and we must seek to change the culture in Scotland.

I was disappointed that the report took so long to mention the role of parents and families. Social education starts with parents; it is their responsibility and many parents need to be supported in that role. A young person's parents are the biggest influence on their life. The Conservatives would insist that all education must be approved by parents, whether it is delivered in school or in the community.

Sex education should not just be about the mechanics of sex; in the past four years, we have had disputes about that in the Parliament. The emphasis should be on both personal responsibility and respect for any future partner or relationship; it should also be on the value, care and rights of any new life created. All sex education should be delivered in a moral atmosphere, where all the relationship issues are dealt with.

The fact that the media portray promiscuity as the norm will undermine our society in the longer term. The media must recognise their role as an influencer of our culture. They seem to display little in the way of social responsibility and to fail to indicate that relationships should be based on respect and trust.

Although I recognise that the Executive is well intentioned in tackling the problems of teenage pregnancy and is right to examine the epidemic of sexually transmitted infection that is affecting so many people, it must be said that all age groups are affected by sexually transmitted diseases. Those diseases are spread right across the age groups in Scotland; they do not affect just the young people. The frightening thing is that such infections, so many of which go undiagnosed for years, can result in young women being unable to conceive. My colleague Mary Scanlon will discuss that further.

The current rash of tsars as a solution to everything will not be the answer. If anything, it appears to me that a tsar would write off the role and responsibility of parents and would send out the message that the system will replace the family. I have no hope that young people will pay any attention to a tsar who sits in an office or to someone in a regional health board. The relevant education must be delivered directly to the child at a very early stage. It should not be textbook-based education but should give guidance on how to deal with, and take responsibility for, one's life.

Many young people succumb to having sex through a lack of self-confidence. An increasing number of young people are becoming sexually active under the influence of alcohol and drugs. When the minister eventually provides his response to the consultation paper, I would like him to pay attention to that issue and to give us some information on it, as it is valuable to take into account such matters as part of a general consideration of what we do in our society.

There are also issues to do with peer pressure and even coercion. At an early stage, we must get across to boys and girls the idea of mutual respect. As I have said before, Scots must be educated on the risks of any lifestyle choice that they may eventually make. Schools and school boards definitely have a role to play, but the rights and responsibilities of parents to approve the sex education material that is used and the cultural approach that is taken must not be denied.

We talk about the spread of HIV across Africa, but Uganda, for example, has been very successful in limiting the spread of HIV. That has been achieved through joined-up government, inter-agency working and a nationwide campaign, which has been absorbed by everyone, on the need to understand the problems. When he was in Africa recently, my colleague Murdo Fraser saw a poster in his hotel that emphasised that staying a virgin was a serious message for young people. It was really saying that young people should remain virgins until they understood well what they were getting involved in.

In Scotland, we must examine closely abortion issues. I congratulate the Executive on not making the morning-after pill available in schools. Parents should be involved in any decision about medical attention for under-age children. The morning-after pill cannot be considered anything other than a chemical abortion; it is not a contraceptive. The pill itself does not solve the problem of sexually transmitted infection, which is a completely different issue.

I agree with the members who have said that, if we are to have services to cope with the problems that exist in this country, they must be accessible to all. During the debates about the National Health Service Reform (Scotland) Bill and the Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Bill, I expressed concern about the accessibility of such services in some rural parts of Scotland. I still have those concerns—the Executive has not responded fully to them.

The issue is about co-ordination and inter-agency working. There has to be the correct amount of funding, both for the schools that help the parents and in the community.

We welcome the consultation, but I would have liked more opportunity—which I hope will be available when the minister issues the next part of the consultation—for parents to give their input.

The only way in which the strategy can answer the concerns of parents and of Scotland's various faith groups is by ensuring that parents and school boards have control over sex education material. We would give school boards the legal right to veto any sex education materials. Parents should have the legal right to withdraw their child from sex education of which they do not approve.