Tories put kids’ innocence at heart of election campaign

Glasgow’s SNP council: Funding for local services has been SLASHED Sturgeon: No it hasn’t... I’ve actually BOOSTED cash for towns and cities

SCOTS Tories will vow to defend the innocence of childhood and oppose a ‘sex survey’ for school pupils in their local election manifesto launch this week.

The party will pledge that every councillor elected in next month’s poll will stand against ‘intrusive’ questions about the sexual experiences of children as young as 14.

The Scottish Government health and wellbeing survey has already angered parents and child welfare champions, with concerns about intrusion into young people’s personal lives and data privacy.

The study requires that all pupils from P5 to S6 answer questions about issues including school, health, wellbeing, physical activity, sleep patterns, social media, body image and bullying in a 20 to 40-minute online survey to be completed in class.

Those in S2 and above are also questioned about alcohol and tobacco. Pupils in S4 and above are asked questions about their relationships and sexual health.

The survey has been declared ‘not fit for purpose’ by parents’ group Connect, and the Scottish Catholic Church said it should be scrapped. Some schools and councils have paused the rollout in the face of opposition from parents.

The Tory manifesto is expected to say: ‘Our schools have an important role in educating our children about sexual health and wellbeing, but this should be age-appropriate and undertaken in close consultation with parents.

‘Conservative councillors will vote to boycott future SNP Government school sex surveys that ask children intrusive questions.’

The pledge will be a key part of the Tories’ attempt to position themselves as defenders of women, children and family life.

Scottish Conservative education spokesman Oliver Mundell said: ‘Far too often we hear of inappropriate practices in our schools that have been encouraged or endorsed by the SNP Government.

‘Their insistence on asking young people intrusive questions in controversial sex surveys is wrong. We need to rid our schools of the SNP’s invasions of privacy.’

Last night, the Scottish Government insisted the survey was ageappropriate and pupils, parents and schools were free to opt out.

A spokesman said: ‘Surveys like this play a crucial role in ensuring children and young people have access to the help, advice and services they need.

‘Children and young people can skip any question they don’t wish to answer or state that they would prefer not to say.

‘Councils are free to remove questions they do not

wish to ask.’

NICOLA Sturgeon launched the SNP’s campaign to retain Glasgow yesterday – by slapping down the council’s own analysis that she has slashed its funding.

Standing next to SNP council leader Susan Aitken, she insisted she did ‘not accept’ the council’s analysis that funding has fallen.

However, last night she was accused of ‘flat-out lying’ and ‘selling children short’ by cutting funds for schools and other key services, such as pothole repairs and bin collections.

The Nationalist-run council warned its funding was under ‘significant pressure’, with an initial £19.7 million black hole.

On the opening budget pages on the council’s website, it states: ‘The amount of money set aside for local government has fallen – and the share of the national budget allocated to Glasgow has also declined.’

Ms Sturgeon insisted this was wrong, saying she had actually found more money for local government. She said: ‘I don’t accept that analysis... the Scottish Fiscal Commission said that Scotland’s budget declined by 5.2 per cent in real terms. Because of decisions we’ve taken, the funding settlement [for local government] has increased by 6 per cent.’

She insisted Ms Aitken ‘has been a very strong voice standing up for a fair settlement for local government in Scotland, and for Glasgow in particular’. Ms Aitken said she had made the case for more money for councils but chose not to do that ‘on the front pages’ of newspapers.

Both said she had been instrumental in securing an additional £120 million for councils, after the Scottish

‘Roads are crumbling and bins are overflowing’

Government budget was first unveiled. But local authority umbrella body Cosla insisted that councils continue to face a real-terms cut of £251 million overall.

Ms Aitken said: ‘Do I constantly argue for more money for local government? Yes. Just because I don’t have those discussions on the front pages, does not mean those discussions are not going on.’

Last night, the SNP’s opponents said Ms Sturgeon’s claim of a funding increase for councils ‘beggars belief’. Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative local government spokesman, said: ‘If Nicola Sturgeon is claiming her SNP Government hasn’t cut funding to local authorities, then I’m sorry but she’s flat-out lying. The First Minister has imposed savage cuts on councils year after year. She knows it, Cosla know it and SNP-controlled Glasgow City Council point it out on their website. Nicola Sturgeon’s claim beggars belief.’

Mark Griffin, Scottish Labour local government spokesman, said: ‘In far too many parts of Scotland, libraries are closing, roads are crumbling and bins are overflowing. The SNP are selling children short too, with schools and social work being cut to the bone.’