Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to the publication of the 44th Report by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee on 22 June, in order to clarify (1) whether, and (2) how, a parent in Northern Ireland can excuse their child from Relationships and Sexuality Education.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has welcomed the report by the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee.

The Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 place a duty on the Northern Ireland Department of Education to introduce regulations to ensure that a pupil may be withdrawn from education on sexual and reproductive health and rights or elements of that education, at the request of a parent. This follows the approach taken in England and Scotland.

The Northern Ireland Department of Education has confirmed it will consult on both the guidance and the provisions for the circumstances in which a pupil may be excused from the education or specified elements of that education.