Nicola Sturgeon accused of misleading public about Named Person scheme

Today`s Daily Mail:

"Campaigners have demanded action against Nicola Sturgeon accusing her of `misleading` the public over the controversial Named Person scheme."

"They have written to Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh urging him to investigate the First Minister, her Cabinet colleagues and Nationalist MSPs."

"It is now just weeks until the scheme is rolled out Scotland-wide, with every child under 18 given a `state snooper` to collect information on their wellbeing."

"The Scottish Government has repeatedly said the scheme is based on a successful Highlands pilot."

"However, the No to Named Person (NO2NP) campaign claims this has now been disputed by a council chief in the Highlands."

"Simon Calvert, NO2NP campaign spokesman, wrote that `many claims have been made by MSPs about `successful` early implementation of the service in five trial areas across Scotland. It now appears these claims are false."

"Given the scale of the misrepresentation, and the damage this does to the reputation of the Scottish parliament, we call upon you to use your position as Presiding Officer to hold to account those who have misled the Scottish parliament and the Scottish people`."

"He added: `Officials in Highland and Fife, and the Education Secretary, have now made it clear that the schemes operating in Highland and Fife were not trials of the Named Person role as defined in the Act`."

"`The Highland model formed the basis for all other `trials` across Scotland. Given this, if Highland was not trialling the Named Person scheme as set out in the Act, then none of the trials across Scotland can be held up as evidence for what is now set in legislation`."

"The scheme has been mired in confusion since ministers tried to argue it did not fail toddler Liam Fee, murdered by his mother Rachel Trelfa and her civil partner Nyomi Fee in Fife, where an early version of the initiative was operating."

"However, in his desperation to absolve the scheme of any blame, Education Secretary John Swinney insisted Liam `did not have a Named Person in terms of the legislation that parliament has put in place`."

"Backtracking, he later conceded every child in Fife has had a `contact point` under the version of the scheme launched in 2009."

See Council leader condemns SNP`s named person plan