When it will announce the remit and membership of the working group it has proposed to review curricular advice and materials in the light …

The remit of the Working Group is as follows:"In the light of the Scottish Executive's intention to repeal section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986:to consider the scope and general content of the package of safeguards described in the letter of 27 January 2000 to school boards and headteachers from the Minister for Children and Education;to report to the Scottish Executive on whether this package is sufficiently wide-ranging and robust to meet the legitimate concerns of the public, parents and teachers;to review existing curriculum guidelines, advice and support information bearing on sex education;to consider whether these existing materials and the existing arrangements for ongoing review are sufficient to meet the legitimate concerns of the public, parents and teachers;to report to the Scottish Executive with recommendations for any revisions oradditions to these existing materials and arrangements;to commission with the Scottish Executive any agreed revisions and/or thedevelopment of any agreed new materials, which are to be completed beforerepeal of section2A is brought into force."The membership of the Working Group is as follows:Mr Mike McCabe (Chairman), Director of Education, South Ayrshire.Mr John O'Keane, Headteacher of Cardinal Newman High School, NorthLanarkshire.Mrs Anne Pearson, Headteacher of Park Primary School, Alloa,ClackmannanshireMrs Gill Mackay, Senior Teacher at Dunard Primary School, Glasgow.Mr John Waddell, Vice Chair of Williamwood High School School Board, East Renfrewshire representing the Scottish School Board Association.Ms Kim Connolly, a Director of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council.Reverend Jack Laidlaw, Convener of the Church of Scotland Education Committee.Mr John Oates, representing the Catholic Education Commission.Ms Rowena Ashad, Director of the Centre for Education in Racial Equality in Scotland.I am grateful to all the members of the Working Group for their willingness to give time to this important and sensitive task. I am sure that their work will provide significant reassurance to parents and teachers. Their recommendations on revisions or additions to existing curricular materials and on the package of safeguards will be available before the final vote on repeal of section 2A.