The family planning clinic, to be launched in Glasgow with the backing of health education chiefs, is a pilot project aimed at reducing teenage pregnancies.

Boots: Following government guidelines

Boots stressed that the clinic will provide sexual advice to people of all ages, and rejected accusations it will encourage under-age sex, arguing that young people engage in sex and it is responding to a need.

But the company said there would be no lower age limit and no need for parental approval or knowledge. The clinic will provide the pill and condoms.

The clinic will open this week at a store in a Glasgow shopping centre. If the year-long trial is successful it could be followed by clinics in other cities.

The clinic itself will be in a private room, while health workers will man a stall on the shop floor, handing out leaflets and giving advice on health issues such as HIV.

Following government guidelines

Teenagers 'need sensible advice'

Boots and the Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health NHS Trust say they are following government guidelines on tackling the problem of teenage pregnancy.

A company spokesman said: "The Boots store in St Enoch's Centre, Glasgow, is providing a venue for the Glasgow Health Trust to run twice weekly family planning clinics as part of the effort to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies, an issue highlighted in the government's Green Paper, Working Together for a Healthier Scotland.

"This pilot intiative in a Boots store provides a familiar and accessible place for customers, particularly young people, to seek advice and information."

David Thomson, Boots primary care services manager, said the idea was prompted by large numbers of young girls asking the store pharmacy for contraceptive advice.

But Valerie Riches of Family and Youth Concern said: "Most parents will be appalled to find that Boots, which is thought of as an eminently sensible organisation, is adopting a policy which could be so damaging."

A spokeswoman for the anti-abortion charity Life called for a boycott of Boots.

She said: "It is disgraceful that Boots are promoting under-age sex that will undoubtedly result in more abortion and an increase in sexually transmitted diseases." Mr Thomson defended the initiative, saying: "We are absolutely not encouraging teenage sex. We know that it goes on and we are trying to provide appropriate services.

"As for dealing with under-age girls, we will be guided by the doctor involved. She is the expert."

Jon Cope, a spokesman for the Health Education Authority, said: "We would not want to encourage young people to take part in any activity that breaks the law, but on the other hand we support young people being given full support and advice about sexual health."

Mr Cope said research suggested that teenagers who were properly informed about sex were less likely to engage in sexual activity at an early age.

He said: "If young people are given information from an authorative source it seems they are less likely to want to experiment for themselves."

But Ann Widdecombe, shadow health secretary, said: "Many parents tell me that they already feel undermined by the health service, social services and other statutory bodies in trying to provide moral guidance for their children and to accept responsibility for their conduct.

"Boots' action will do little to reassure such parents."