Renfrewshire Council bosses have performed a U-turn on the controversial Scottish Government census that asks teenagers "intrusive" questions about their sex lives.
They say the move is "temporary", however, it comes after a furious backlash from parents and politicians who have been left raging at the content of the Health and Wellbeing Survey.
We previously told how the document has been roundly criticised by both Labour and Tory politicians due to the content - which included asking teenage pupils if they have had anal sex.
Several Scots councils either redacted some questions in the survey or pulled the plug altogether, but the Renfrewshire authority was adamant that it would be distributed in its entirety.
But they performed an embarrassing climbdown on Monday, ditching the survey - branded "disgraceful" by labour group leader, Councillor Eddie Devine - and confirming that it will not be further rolled out in the area currently.
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A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council confirmed the move, saying: "We have been following national and local responses to the national health and well-being survey, including the views of the children’s commissioner.
"While we consider these views and those of our school communities, we have decided to temporarily pause the survey."
The authority, who are thought to have so far distributed the survey to a handful of secondary schools, had remained adamant on Friday that it would be up to disgruntled parents to opt out on behalf of under-16s.
Councillor Alison Dowling, who has taken the concerns of horrified parent to council chiefs together with Labour colleague Councillor Derek Bibby, welcomed the news, saying: "I welcome the decision by Renfrewshire Council to put the brakes on any further rollout of the survey in Renfrewshire schools.
"I have been informed that headteachers and education managers have been updated about the suspension of the survey. This will allow the council to reflect on the concerns we and others have been raised, which is the sensible way forward."
She said parents had been angered by the nature of some of the probing questions feature for S4 to S6 pupils, as well as the lack of support.
The Labour councillor for Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, added: "Recent comments by the Children’s Commissioner reflect issues raised to me by constituents. For example, questions asking ten-year-olds how they feel about their body image or how they feel about their relationship with their parents, are inappropriate questions to ask children without adequate child safeguarding measures in place to support their answers.
"I’m also concerned about the danger of the potential re-traumatisation of children provoked by the triggering nature of some of the sex-related questions asked."
Fuming Councillor Dowling also said: "Distressingly, it is likely that a significant number of Renfrewshire children answering this survey will have experienced sexual abuse. Recent statistics highlight that about 40 per cent of schoolgirls have been sexually assaulted or harassed in school.
"The SNP Government don't need wait for an intrusive and insensitively administered survey to take action to prioritise the safety, dignity and privacy of girls. Only 43 per cent of rape and attempted rape cases lead to a conviction, compared with 88 per cent for other crimes.
"Disturbingly, at least 40 per cent of all sexual crimes recorded in 2019-20 related to a victim who was under the age of 18. The Scottish Government have the evidence. If they cared about the epidemic of sexual violence in schools, they could act now."
She said she was "scathing" about the Scottish Government's claim that the survey would help inform research and policy, continuing: "The SNP Government should concentrate all its efforts in offering practical interventions to help sorting these problems out, rather than spending time and resources on a survey of this nature."
The move was also backed by Conservative West of Scotland list MSP Russell Findlay, who had earlier criticised Renfrewshire Council over the move.
He said: "Parents will be relieved that the council has done the right thing and listened to their concerns.
"Renfrewshire is that latest council to realise there are serious questions about this survey and pressing pause is the right thing to do."
The Scottish Government had earlier defended its position, telling the Express: “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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