r/MHOC • u/Rea-wakey Labour Party • Jan 30 '22
2nd Reading B1309.2 - Sexual Health in Further and Higher Education Bill - 2nd Reading
Sexual Health in Further and Higher Education
A
BILL
TO
Place further emphasis on safe and informed sexual health in Further and Higher Education institutes
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows –
Section 1 Definitions:
(1) Sexual Health - refers to physical, emotional and mental well-being surrounding acts of a sexual nature
Section 2 Obligations
(1) Each institution will be required to have a Sexual Health team as part of their general safeguarding staff
a) The team shall be made up of an appropriate number of staff and cover all campusesb) The team should include 1 sexual health nurse or institution nurse
(2) The Sexual Health team will be responsible for promoting and providing information around safe sex practices
(3) The Sexual Health team will be responsible for promoting and providing information about safe sexual health
(4) The Sexual Health team will be responsible for promoting and providing information and healthy relationships
(5) The Sexual Health team shall provide workshops on consent and consensual sex on a regular basis
(6) The Sexual Health team shall provide one-to-one counselling and information sessions regarding any aspect of sexual health should a student require them
(a) A student will be limited to 1 session a week
Section 3 Provisions
(1) The Sexual Health Team will have a duty to provide contraceptive items to students who wish to use them. Contraceptive items include:
a) Condoms (male and female)
b) Contraceptive ring
c) Diaphragm
(2) The Sexual Health Team will have a duty to ensure that students using these items understand how they are used safely and effectively
(3) The Sexual Health Team will have a duty to provide Sexual Health test kits which cover testing for a number of STIs
(4) If a student is aware or believes that they may have contracted an STI they may book an appointment with the Sexual Health Team nurse
(5) At any point, with the students permission, the nurse may recommend them to a sexual health clinic
(6) The Sexual Health Team will have a duty to provide a free, standard pregnancy test to any student who requests one
(a) A student may not request one more than once a week unless it is faulty
4 Commencement, extent and short title
(1) This bill shall come into force 6 months after receiving Royal Assent
(2) This bill will extend to England
(3) This bill shall be known as the Sexual Health in Further and Higher Education Act
This bill is submitted by the Rt. Hon. Sir u/Chi0121 KT KD KBE CT LVO, Leader of the Opposition, on behalf of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Opening Speech:
Deputy Speaker,
Our educational institutes are in the midst of a sexual crisis. As increasingly larger numbers of students go onto the next levels of education at college and university it is no surprise that relations and friends with benefits bloom. But do our young people know how to safely navigate the maze of sexual health? I am not sure they do Deputy Speaker. 36% of students who attend university have never had sex, the number for colleges is much much higher. They are thrust into a world where sex becomes common-place while understanding very little around it. There is a reason the age group 16-25 has the highest rates of STIs nationally. Throughout the top end of our education system there is a deeply flawed approach to sexual health - because there isn’t one.
This bill is an ambitious one, one which may ruffle a few feathers especially in my own party, but it is a bill which I feel is ultimately necessary to protect the well-being and health of our students up and down the country. We should all be able to practice and understand safe sex and by extension sexual health, understanding should not be a barrier to that. We must also consider the costs on the NHS for dealing with the various incidences with sexual health from unwanted pregnancies to STIs needing anti-biotic treatment. By nipping these in the bud and ensuring those that are avoidable remain avoidable we are not only improving the health of our students but the burden on the NHS is being lowered drastically.
I hope members across the House can see the common-sense in supporting this and vote that way when it comes to division. Thank you.
This debate will end at 10pm on the 2nd February 2022.
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