Annette Brooke MP calls for improved sex education

5.06.07pm GMT Wed 5th Dec 2007

Annette Brooke MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Children, Young People and Families today joined the UK Youth Parliament in calling upon the Government to make relationship teaching a statutory part of the national curriculum.

The UK currently has the highest levels of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe and cases of sexually transmitted diseases among 16 to 19 year-olds are rising steadily. In a survey of 20,000 teenagers conducted by the UK Youth Parliament, more than half rated the teaching in school as poor, very poor or merely average whilst only a quarter said it was good. Furthermore, nearly half of those questioned said they had never been taught about the effects of teenage pregnancy and would not know where to find their local sexual health clinic.

The survey also revealed that 55 per cent of all 12 to 15 year-olds and 57 per cent of girls aged between 16 and 17 had not been taught how to use a condom. 43 per cent of all those who took part in the survey said they had not been taught about personal relationships at school.

A letter sent to The Times newspaper signed by the chief executives of the NSPCC, the Brook pregnancy advisory service, the Family Planning Association and the Terrence Higgins Trust said: "These figures may go some way to explaining the disproportionately high rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in this country."

Commenting on the findings, Annette Brooke MP said: "We cannot ignore the findings of this survey of young peoples' views. The Government must take action to improve sex education in schools as this is the only way to tackle the UK's sexual health crisis. Sex and relationship courses should be made compulsory and be delivered by specially trained staff."