Watchdog’s fears over state snooper scheme

SCOTLAND’S Auditor General has warned the SNP’s controversial ‘state snooper’ scheme is under scrutiny, after signalling her doubts over what it is set to achieve.

Caroline Gardner has weighed in on the controversial Named Person legislation, saying she expects ‘clarity’ so it can be judged how well it is working.

The legislation, due to come into force at the end of next month, has faced criticism for allowing the state to step in over children’s ‘wellbeing’ by assigning a Named Person to every child under the age of 18.

The Auditor General, who ensures Scotland’s public bodies spend taxpayers’ money properly and efficiently, stopped short of criticising the scheme but made clear it is on her radar.

She said: ‘With any government policy, we expect to see clarity over what it is intended to achieve and how the government will know it’s progressing as planned.’

She added that she was not sure there was a ‘clear enough picture’ of how Named Persons would work and said she would keep it ‘under review’.

Education Secretary John Swinney has already been forced to refresh guidance for professionals after health visitors and teachers, who will act as Named Persons, raised concerns over a law branded the ‘most illiberal in Holyrood history’. The total cost to the public purse of the scheme is unknown, but the SNP has pledged £41.6million over four years to fund 500 extra health visitors needed to monitor children until they start school. A separate bill will be racked up on training the Named Persons.

Scottish Tory education spokesman Liz Smith welcomed the Auditor General’s intervention and repeated her party’s call for the policy to be scrapped.

But a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The Named Person policy will play an important role in the wider reform of children and early years policy as it is aimed at protecting children’s well-being, and is about supporting, not diminishing, the role of parents.’