MORE than 80% of Church of Scotland ministers have defied kirk leaders and expressed support for a campaign of opposition to sex education by Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the Scottish Catholic leader.

In a survey of 100 ministers by The Sunday Times, 84 said they were against any form of sex and relationship education (SRE) for pre-school children.

Sixty-four said they were against offering contraceptives to under-16s without the consent of their parents under any circumstances.

Senior figures in the church have been criticised for misrepresenting the views of ministers and of failing to take a strong moral lead on the issue.

The survey findings contradict statements made by senior kirk figures last week and heap further pressure on Jack McConnell to ditch the proposals, included in a consultation document, entitled Enhancing Sexual Wellbeing.

The first minister is already on the back foot following a strident attack by O’Brien last week when, in an article published in The Sunday Times, he described the proposals as “state-sponsored child abuse” and warned of a section 28- style campaign of opposition.

McConnell has failed to convince that SRE will not feature in any form at pre-school level or that contraceptives will not be available to under-16s without parental consent. The only guarantee he has given is that morning-after pills won’t be handed out in schools.

The kirk’s response to O’Brien’s comments have been conspicuously muted. Morag Mylne, convenor of the church and nation committee, said she believed the executive was taking the issue of sex education and health “very seriously”.

David Alexander, the convenor of the education committee, backed the plans for SRE to start at the age of three.

However Anne Allen, a former convenor of the board of social responsibility, said their views did not represent those of most ministers.

“People are entitled to that view but they are not entitled to promote it as the view of the Church of Scotland. As a church, no decision has been made on this material at the general assembly,” she said.

“I would be very concerned decision has been made on this material at the general assembly,” she said. “I would be very concerned that abstinence is not at least a part of any strategy presented to young people and particularly the advantage of abstinence in early teenage years.”

The Rev Iain Murdoch, a minister in McConnell’s Motherwell and Wishaw constituency, accused the church of being scared to speak out against the executive. “I share the cardinal’s concerns and I pray that Mr McConnell will stick to his moderate instincts and rein in some of the extremists so that some of our worst fears are not realised.”

Harry Reid, the writer commissioned by the kirk to write a book about its prospects three years ago, said the survey findings accurately reflected ministers’ views. “As a national church it does not always reflect what its members are doing and saying at a local level. The church needs to energetically engage in the debate.”

An executive spokesman said it may be appropriate for nursery teachers to answer questions about sex if asked, and that the executive would continue to support clinics that provide contraceptives to girls as young as 14, with or without the consent of their parents.

“If a girl is under 16, every effort is made to get them to discuss this with a parent or other trusted adult. If the young person does not want to do this and the doctor or nurse deems a young person to be capable of understanding the nature and possible consequences of the treatment, they will give that treatment.”

Meanwhile, sexual grooming by paedophiles will become a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, under plans to be announced by McConnnell this week. The new legislation is similar to laws passed in England.

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