To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update its guidance to schools regarding gender affirmation for children in light of the recommendations in the final report of the Cass review. (S6O-03343)

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the guidance on supporting transgender young people in schools remains up to date and fit for purpose. As with any significant legal or policy developments, we will consider whether the guidance requires to be updated to reflect the points in the recommendations.

I express my respect for the journalistic integrity of Marion Scott, of the Sunday Post , and Dan Sanderson, the Scottish correspondent for The Daily Telegraph . What they have uncovered in recent weeks has been distressing to parents and ought to concern us all. How campaigning groups are using Scotland’s schools to push gender ideology on young children is unscientific, and the Cass review has shown the harm that it can cause. Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is time that she reviewed the practice of allowing campaign groups such as LGBT Youth Scotland to influence classroom lesson content and school activities? Does she agree, too, that we must act now to stop such activists pushing their ideology on our children?

Broadly, as Mr Kerr knows, the Cass review was predominantly a review of the gender health service offered by the national health service in England. However, as I intimated in my original response, we are considering the implications that it may have for our guidance at the current time, and we want to ensure that that guidance is kept up to date. To that end, I am more than happy to engage with the member on that and on any views that he may have in that regard.

It has been 24 years since section 28 was overhauled and 10 years since same-sex marriage was legalised, yet the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the young community, are being caught up in an increasingly toxic debate. How are we working in education to ensure that LGBTQ+ young people are included and supported in their school communities?

As the member has outlined, it is really important that we have a curriculum that is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools. I am in and out of Scotland’s schools regularly, and we have a really rich curriculum across our country. We have made significant progress in embedding LGBT-inclusive education across the curriculum, and that policy received cross-party support in the previous session of the Parliament.