Jamie Greene MSP, the Scottish Conservative MSP for the West of Scotland has said that the country is “sleepwalking into an unpopular policy” with the imminent Named Person scheme which is due to come into force in August of this year.
The controversial scheme which was passed as legislation in the last session of the Scottish Parliament has been subject to fierce debate in recent months. In one of the first the debates of the new session of Parliament there was lively exchange between parties on the roll-out proposals for the new policy with many citing concerns from those likely to have to implement the policy when it arrives.
As the launch date for the scheme looms the local Tory MSP said that he was “deeply concerned” at its implementation.
Scottish Conservative MSP for West Scotland, Jamie Greene, said:
“Not only is the named person policy both deeply unpopular and unnecessary but it is also proving to be unworkable. This policy becomes law in a matter of weeks but there are stark and fundamental flaws being exposed by the very professionals who are being asked to deliver the policy.
“Since taking office I have been receiving an increased number of emails with concerns being expressed by many teachers, health visitors, social workers and also many police officers who will be these “Named People”. Not to mention the many parents who are unhappy about it.
When questioned on why he was speaking out now when the policy is already law he responded:
“I cannot sit by and ignore those emails so I felt it appropriate to voice their concerns. How many parents reading this article will be aware that their children will have a named person? How many know if they can or cannot opt out of the scheme? How many understand the implications of this third party in their family life? I suspect not very many. Just how long will it be before the SNP recognises that it has got this all wrong and that public opinion is so strongly against this policy.
