Fabiani backs named person

MSP urges Holyrood to push ahead

East Kilbride MSP Linda Fabiani welcomed the Scottish Government’s push to roll out the controversial Named Person scheme, despite sections of it being deemed as unlawful.

The SNP wanted to appoint a named person to monitor the welfare of every child in Scotland from August 31.

But that timetable looks likely to be delayed after the Supreme Court ruled that some of the proposals around information sharing breached the right to privacy and a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Opponents of the scheme appealed to the Supreme Court in London after their case was dismissed by the Court of Session in Edinburgh last year.

The court said the aim of the law was “unquestionably legitimate and benign”.

However, judges said specific proposals about informationsharing “are not within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament”.

The SNP’s Linda Fabiani said: “I welcome the fact the attempt to scrap the named person service has failed.

“The principal aim of the legislation, in promoting and safeguarding the wellbeing of children and our young people was described as ‘unquestionably legitimate and benign’ in the ruling and does not breach human rights.

“What the judgement required the Scottish Government to provide, however, was greater clarity about what information health visitors, teachers and other professionals supporting families will share and receive in their capacity as named person.

“I am pleased that as a matter of urgency the Scottish Government will now amend the information on sharing provisions to ensure they comply with the judgement of the Supreme Court.”

The attempt to scrap the named person service has failed