Calls have been made to shelve a “disgraceful” survey that asks schoolchildren explicit questions about their sexual experiences.
Renfrewshire Council chiefs have confirmed that they will distribute the Scottish Government’s controversial Health and Wellbeing Survey as it is, with parents forced to opt out on behalf of under-16s.
There are also concerns that youngsters who take part could be identified because the nationwide census collects pupils’ unique candidate numbers.
Some local authorities say they will remove sections of the survey, which ask sensitive questions to those in S4 to S6 before distribution to youngsters but Renfrewshire Council’s education chiefs say they will not, in a bid to support the collection of national data.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Children and young people will be given the opportunity to complete the survey, or opt out of it, between now and March 2022.”
Instead, parents will have to tell schools if they don’t want under-16s to take part.
But the news has met with disbelief from politicians, with Renfrewshire’s Conservatives calling for both Renfrewshire Council and the SNP Government to withdraw the questionnaire over “intrusive” questions about sexual exploits.
Renfrewshire group leader Neill Graham, said the concerns of officials, including Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson, should be taken into account.
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He said: “Whatever the original purpose of this census was, it is clear it is not fit for purpose. Renfrewshire Council must now stop distributing this survey and withdraw it from our schools.
“Parents and the Children’s Commissioner have raised serious concerns about the nature of the information that is being gathered by councils and the Government.”
The Paisley Northeast and Ralston Councillor, added: “Many of these questions are overly intrusive and completely inappropriate for children in Renfrewshire and across Scotland to answer. Adults would be uncomfortable answering them, so I cannot fathom why Renfrewshire Council thought they were suitable for younger people.
“This sort of survey should not be used to gather this kind of sensitive information. Council officials and the SNP Government should withdraw this controversial survey and go back to the drawing board.”
His fears were echoed by the Conservatives’ West of Scotland list MSP Russell Findlay, who accused the Holyrood administration of “arrogance”, saying: “Nicola Sturgeon’s arrogant SNP government are not only ignoring parents’ worries but those of Bruce Adamson, Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner.
“He has expressed concerns that this survey collects pupils’ Scottish Candidate Numbers which may allow them to be identified.”
Mr Findlay continued: “Around 1 in 4 of Scotland’s councils have seen sense and rejected this survey in its current format and I would urge Renfrewshire Council and the Edinburgh government to listen to parents and press pause.
“There can surely be no harm in delaying its introduction while serious questions remain about pupils’ privacy and the questionable nature of the personal information being gathered by the state.”
Eight Scots’ councils have refused to participate in the survey, while 12 are currently reviewing the contents.
And Renfrewshire Council’s stance also came under fire from Labour group leader, Councillor Eddie Devine, who said: “I think it’s highly inappropriate and, in fact, an absolute disgrace, this state of affairs where we are poring over children’s sex lives.
“It’s not an appropriate set of questions to ask young adults, or children in my view. I think it’s totally unacceptable for the state to be asking questions like these. Where does it end? Are they going to start asking adults in the next census what their sex lives are like?”
But the Scottish Government say that youngsters can skip any questions they don’t want to answer and defended the online survey, saying: “We fully support the administering of this important census by local authorities.
“Health and well-being surveys like this one are not new and play a crucial role in ensuring children and young people have access to the help, advice and services they need. They comply with UK GDPR, as part of process of informing parents/carers and children and young people in deciding if they wish to take part in the Census. The Census documentation, and the questionnaires themselves, are explicit about this.”
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