Swinney to be grilled over state guardian bid

JOHN Swinney is to be quizzed by MSPs on the Scottish Government’s response to the Named Person court battle.

The Education Secretary will face questions from Holyrood’s delegated powers and law reform committee tomorrow amid fears that proposed changes to the controversial policy are ‘potentially unworkable’ and could lead to further legal action.

The SNP scheme aims to allocate a Named Person, such as a health visitor or teacher, to all under-18s to be responsible for monitoring their well-being.

Ministers were forced to change their plans after the Supreme Court ruled the proposals were ‘incompatible’ with the right to privacy and family life as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.

The ruling raised concerns around information sharing and a lack of safeguards within the initiative, and led to opponents claiming the plans were ‘dead in the water’.

Ministers have now published the Children and Young People (Information Sharing) (Scotland) Bill.

But campaigners believe it lacks clarity on key areas and that it is ‘potentially unworkable in practice and open to further possible legal action’.

The watered-down proposals mean parents will be able to effectively ‘opt out’, with the role’s most significant powers removed.

Mr Swinney will be questioned by committee members on whether or not he believes changes are adequate.

Tory MSP Graham Simpson, convenor of the delegated powers and law reform committee, said: ‘The committee is particularly keen to explore whether the right balance has been struck between primary legislation and delegated powers in the bill and the opportunities the parliament will have to scrutinise the code.’

‘Dead in the water’