THE SCOTTISH GOVERNEMENT ABANDON CHILDRENS HEARING BILL

- Wendy Alexander welcomes this move -

Wendy Alexander has welcomed the SNP’s abandonment of their proposed Children’s Hearings Bill.

After strong representations from Panel members here in Paisley, on the damage that could be caused by the Bill the Scottish government reconsidered. It now appears that the Bill has been scrapped in its current form.

The move is an embarrassment for the SNP who have failed to get a draft bill in a reasonable form for publication.

Wendy Alexander MSP said

“Panel members in Paisley came to my surgery to protest that this Bill threatened their ability to care for vulnerable children. I wrote to the Minister in June about this. The SNP government have admitted they got it wrong.

“The Children’s Hearing system is quite rightly seen as the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ in ensuring the protection, safety and welfare of our vulnerable children. Reform may well be needed but certainly not in the incompetent way that Adam Ingram proposed.

“The changes would have damaged the current system and the SNP have been sent off to think again.

“Panel members in Paisley who gave up their time to help our most needy kids deserve a rethink to the entire Bill.”