Scottish Government review of controversial school sex survey to be published

The Scottish Government is set to publish a review of a controversial school sex survey which was first requested almost three years ago.

It comes after the director general for the Office for Statistics Regulation, Ed Humpherson, sent a strongly worded letter to chief statistician Alastair McAlpine, demanding the findings were made public within the next 30 days.

The Health and Wellbeing Census asked students as young as 14 for information about their sexual relationships and contraception, as well as their drinking, drug and smoking habits.

Conservative MSP Meghan Gallacher said the “school sex survey” had involved children as young as 14 being asked “highly intrusive and inappropriate questions”.

One question – for pupils in S4 and S6 – asked about varying degrees of sexual experience.

Others quiz teenagers on contraception methods and what age they were when they had sex for the first time.

At the time, 16 local authorities decided not to participate in the health and wellbeing survey.

In 2022, the OSR stated in a letter that the Scottish Government “underestimated the significance” of the survey for parents and that more could have been done to address “concerns”.

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour wrote to the OSR in December raising “serious concerns” about the collection and use of the data.

In the most recent letter, Mr Humpherson said the publication of the information was “key” and if it were not made public the OSR would “take steps to escalate this issue to a ministerial level.”

The director general also stated that the delay has raised “broader questions” Mr McAlpine’s role as chief statistician.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that its review will be published within the 30-day deadline and Mr McAlpine will respond to Mr Humpherson’s letter shortly.