Thank you for contacting me about the Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
Whilst education is a devolved matter, the UK Government is required, under section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019, to implement the recommendations in the 2018 Report of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Northern Ireland.
The report recommended the creation of “age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, a compulsory component of curriculum for adolescents, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion in Northern Ireland, and monitor its implementation.” The regulations will mirror the approach taken in England with regard to education about the prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion.
I understand and respect there will be differing views on this issue. However, this is about ensuring compliance with the statutory duty Parliament imposed on this Government in 2019.
The UK Government has only stepped in where necessary. It has been nearly four years since this was voted on in Parliament and the Northern Ireland Department of Education has had every opportunity to bring forward measures to introduce relationships and sexuality education that implement the CEDAW recommendation.
I wish to be clear that educating adolescents on issues, such as contraception and access to abortion in Northern Ireland, should be done in a factual way that does not advocate, or oppose, a particular view on the moral and ethical considerations of abortion or contraception.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.