Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's consultation on draft regulations, statutory guidance, and regulatory impact assessment relating to Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, which opened on 19 July 2018, for what reason his Department is providing discretion to schools on whether they teach same sex relationships in the regulations being consulted on.

The Department is making Relationships Education compulsory in all primary schools, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory in all secondary schools and Health Education compulsory in all state-funded primary and secondary schools.

A guiding principle of the subjects is that teaching will start from the basis that pupils, at age appropriate points, need to know the laws on relationships and sex to ensure they act appropriately and can be safe. The draft guidance is also clear that there should be an equal opportunity to explore the features of stable and healthy same-sex relationships.

As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools will have flexibility over how they deliver this content; and, in the case of schools with a religious character, in accordance with their faith. All schools must comply with the Equality Act.

The Department hopes as many people as possible will contribute to the consultation, which closes on 7 November.