In a close vote of 67 to 61 MPs voted to introduce the ten-minute rule bill, which would apply to girls aged between 13 and 16.
The sex education charity Brook is among those to criticise the bill. Its chief executive Simon Blake said: "Any debate that polarises views about sex and relationships education is unhelpful. It’s time to recognise that abstinence has been so discredited by the evidence that it’s hardly worthy of debate."
The National Children’s Bureau’s sex education forum is concerned about the bill’s focus on teenage girls and on abstinence rather than practical advice about contraception.
In a statement it said: "There is strong evidence that young people who have sex education that starts early and covers a broad range of topics are less likely to have sex at a young age, have fewer partners and are more likely to use contraception or condoms.
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