Taxpayers pay £350k named person bills
CAMPAIGNERS fighting the Scottish Government’s controversial named person scheme received £350,000 of taxpayers’ cash to cover legal bills.
The Government’s “state guardian” law suffered a major setback last year when UK Supreme Court justices ruled it unlawful.
They found elements of the policy “incompatible” with the right to privacy and family life as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.
Now it has emerged taxpayers were left on the hook for campaigners’ court costs. Earlier this month it was revealed the Government had spent £480,000 contesting the three court cases linked to the proposals. The named person scheme would appoint a single point of contact – such as a teacher – to look out for the welfare of all children up to age 18.
Simon Calvert, a deputy director of The Christian Institute, one of the bodies involved in the Supreme Court challenge, described the legal costs as “just a drop in the bucket”.
He said: “The Scottish Government have thrown millions and millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money at this white elephant scheme.”
Lawyers for the Christian Institute have written to Lord Advocate James Wolffe telling him ministers face a second court battle over the law if they do not refer it to the Supreme Court. The Scottish Government said he will “respond in due course”.