Debate Over Sex Education

25 October 2011, 17:15 | Updated: 25 October 2011, 17:59

South Northamptonshire MP Andrea Leadsom opened a debate at the House of Commons today where she called for sex education videos to be made more age appropriate.

She wants the British Board of Film Classification, who rate films, DVDs and games, to rate sex education material. She also wants teachers to have more of a say in what they think is suitable for their class and thinks parents should be able to opt into lessons as well as opting out.

Leadsom says that some material used in sex education lessons has horrified parents within her constituency “I’ve had a lot of contact from constituents who have been quite honestly horrified… there is some extraordinarily inappropriate and graphic sexually explicit material being shown to children as young as five”

Leadsom thinks that not enough of sex education is about the relationship aspect and thinks schools should be teaching children about how feelings and emotions are involved.

The children’s minister Nick Gibb was responding to the debate and told Leadsom that he thinks an age rating on sex education material is a good idea. He says he will discuss it further at the PSHE consultation that is taking place at the moment.