The Scottish government has sent schools a “health and wellbeing survey” in which students as young as 14 are asked about their sexual experiences.

“Scotland’s Catholic bishops share the concerns of many parents about the explicit nature of some questions which young people are being asked in this survey,” said a spokesman for the bishops’ conference. “Failure to respond to these concerns will demonstrate not only a disregard for the rights of parents but may risk re-traumatizing some young people who might have suffered from harmful sexual encounters.”