Chamber and committees

The remit of the expert group is:To draw up a National Sexual Health Strategy for Scotland, with particular reference to measures:

• to reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections;
• to enhance the provision of sexual health services, and

• to promote a broad understanding of sexual health and sexual relationships that encompasses emotions, attitudes and social context.

This broad remit encompasses issues relating to sexual coercion.

The Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education spent £12,057,000 on post-qualification training in 2001-02, the latest year for which figures are available. Information about the amount spent on other clinical staff is not currently held centrally.Information on the amount spent on nurse post-qualification training is not held centrally. It is for NHS trusts to determine such expenditure at local level.

Recent guidance on sex education, contained in Circular 2/2001, Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act: Conduct of Sex Education in Scottish Schools offers a set of principles and aims for sex education which provides a framework within which issues of childhood sexual abuse could be raised. Sex education programmes should provide opportunities for children and young people to develop personal and interpersonal skills that will enable them to make and maintain appropriate relationships within the family, with friends and within the wider community. Programmes should also foster self-awareness and self-esteem and a sense of responsibility and respect for themselves and for others.Child Protection Circular 10/95 also provides teachers and staff with guidance. A review of this circular has just commenced and an updated Circular is planned by spring 2003.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29191. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Scottish Crime Survey asks about all incidents of personal victimisation. Household surveys such as the Scottish Crime Survey are not, however, ideal for picking up sensitive information such as sexual victimisations. The small number of incidents picked up by the Scottish Crime Survey are not, therefore, published as they would be likely to provide misleading estimates.Crimes of a sexual nature reported to and recorded by the police are published annually in the Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin on Recorded Crime in Scotland. Research suggests, however, that not all incidents will be reported to the police.

The Executive is committed to ensuring equity of access to all health services. NHS boards are responsible for arranging interpreting services for all patients that require them.Fair for All: Working Together Towards Culturally-Competent Services (Bib. number 24244) provides guidance for NHS boards on the provision of interpreting and translation services for minority ethnic communities.Good Practice Guidance has been issued to NHS boards to support the implementation of section 21 of the Disability Discrimination Act (Bib. number 7233) which outlines the steps to be taken to ensure that physical disability proves no barrier to accessing services. All NHS boards are required to provide a British Sign Language interpreting service for deaf and hard of hearing people where appropriate.

The Scottish Executive is working with the police to review the existing guidance on the investigation of complaints of sexual assault, including rape.

The Scottish Executive is working with the police to review existing guidance on the investigation of complaints of sexual assault including rape. The outcome of this review will inform the need for further action (including the possibility of research).

We have no plans to conduct research into the investigation and prosecution of cases involving allegations of rape. The Scottish Executive is, however, working with the police to review existing guidance on the investigation of complaints of sexual assault including rape.

The definition of domestic abuse contained in the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland includes rape by a partner or ex-partner. It is therefore within the remit of the National Group which is implementing the strategy.