Nadine Dorries' plans for sex education are brave and different and deserve a fair hearing 

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has brought forward a Bill to address many of the flaws and faults in our current sex education policies. Among other provisions, Ms Dorries wants to ensure that teenagers, particularly girls, feel able to say "no" to sex, and also to provide pupils with good quality relationships education. These aims are similar to those of the LIFE Education programme which seeks to persuade pupils to consider delaying sexual activity until they are in a lifelong committed relationship such as marriage, and tries to give them reasons, resources and motivation to do so. This Bill could be a great chance to redress the balance in relationships and sex education away from the failed value-free "condoms and consent" approach, and towards a genuinely loving and holistic approach that places sexual relationships in the context of a committed relationship. 

Despite disgraceful and persistent misrepresentation of Ms Dorries' intentions in many sections of the media, the House of Commons has voted 67-61 in favour of the Bill at First Reading; after further discussion and debate, it will return to the Commons early next year for Second Reading. At LIFE, we hope Ms Dorries is successful in restoring sanity, honesty and values to the sex education debate, especially at a time of growing parental disquiet about sex education.

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