SCHOOLS should drop all sex education because it leads to more teenage pregnancies, Shipley MP Philip Davies said - sparking a Commons row.

The Conservative backbencher fought a Bill to make such lessons compulsory, arguing it was up to parents to teach the facts of life.

Mr Davies said Labour's “political correctness” – not children ill-prepared for the dangers – was the root cause of the abuse scandal in Rotherham.

And he dismissed claims that better sex education lessons had cut teenage pregnancy rates in Holland, arguing Italy also had low rates, but few lessons.

Amid Labour barracking, Mr Davies said: “The more sex education we have had since the early 1970s, the more teenage pregnancies and unwanted pregnancies we have had.

"One thing everyone will have to conclude is that what we need is less sex education - or, perhaps even better, none.”

Mr Davies said sex education teaching was among “the things that only parents and parents alone can do and are expected to do”.

And he added: “My job as a parent is that I'm supposed to bring up my children with my particular values and the values I think are important to instil into them.

"I don't want my children to have the teacher's values instilled in them whether I like them or not, whether I support them or not.

“These are things that should be done by parents and parents alone.”

On child abuse, the MP added: “Let's look at the root causes - the political correctness of the party opposite which caused the problems in Rotherham.”

And he said: “It would be much better to look at the benefit systems and the housing allocation system.

“That would make much more of a difference than this ridiculous obsession with more and more sex education.”

The comments provoked shouts from Labour MPs who gathered to back a Bill to make lessons about sex and relationships compulsory.

Diana Johnson, a Hull MP, said existing lessons focused too much on biology and the spread of infections – neglecting crucial issues including healthy relationships and consent.

The child abuse cases in Rotherham, plus the crimes of celebrities such as Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris, showed the need for high-quality lessons.

Mr Davies did not force a vote – allowing the Bill to pass its first reading – but it stands virtually no chance of becoming law.

Last year, the Government defeated a Labour amendment to the Children and Families Bill which attempted to make sex and relationships education compulsory.

Cllr Ralph Berry, executive for children's services on Bradford Council, hit out at Mr Davies' comments.

Cllr Berry said: "This was a grossly irresponsible statement that flies in the face of all evidence, particularly in the fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse.

"What he is saying is ill informed - all evidence shows that sex education, with the support of parents, is massively important. He often panders to right wing views, but this is particularly irresponsible and fundamentally wrong."