I spoke in Parliament this week to express my support for the introduction of compulsory health, sex and relationships education in schools. The world is changing, and young people today face harsh challenges. From knife crime in the streets to the relentless pressure of social media, many lives are being lost and destroyed. Ensuring that schools provide more education on mental health and wellbeing, relationships with others and sexual health, is a welcome step forward to improving young lives.

Further, this move will help raise awareness among young people of other concerning issues, such as discrimination, forced marriage, domestic and sexual violence and addictions and teach them the value of respect and celebrating differences in our society.

I also took the opportunity to seek reassurances from the Front Bench over parents removing students from sex education classes, teacher workloads and the removal of pupils from lessons raising awareness over LGBT issues. More education is beneficial, but we must know what this will mean for teacher workloads and must ensure that students are given the necessary information so that they can engage in healthy relationships as they enter adulthood.

A final point I raised was concern over Parkfield Community School, once praised by Ofsted for promoting tolerance, acceptance and mutual respect, and now being pressured by parents to drop LGBT issues from teaching content. The Government as well as MPs need to support schools in delivering content they deem appropriate and to discourage protests and intimidation which might see them alter their curriculum to the detriment of their pupils and our society as a whole.

Watch my speech below: