NICOLA Sturgeon is on course to win one of her first major battles as head of a minority government, with a Tory bid to scrap controversial plans to assign every child a 'named person' apparently doomed to failure.

Jackson Carlaw, the deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said that he would use his party's new muscle to challenge the scheme to assign a state-appointed figure, such as a teacher or health visitor, to look out for the welfare of every child as a priority.

However, his claim that a "natural majority" now existed against the scheme at Holyrood was undermined by the Scottish Greens, with the party indicating that it remained cautiously supportive of the SNP plan, saying it had been backed by children's charities.

If Ms Sturgeon can rely on the six Green MSPs for support, it would mean any Tory moves to force a rethink over the policy would be destined to fail, even if Ruth Davidson could persuade Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs to join her fight against it.

While Labour voted for the Bill introducing the named person scheme in February 2014, it called for a "pause" in the policy in the recent election campaign, as Ms Sturgeon came under fire repeatedly over its compulsory and universal nature, and claims it would lead to a disproportionate and unwarranted state intrusion into family life.

However, the First Minister insisted yesterday that she would be sticking to her guns over the policy, acknowledging the concerns of some parents but remaining adamant that the roll-out of the scheme is the right thing to do.

She said: "I think Jackson Carlaw is wrong, I don't think there is a majority in the Scottish Parliament in the way he says there is, but we will see how that develops. I will put forward the arguments for the named person because I think they are fundamentally sound.

"I recognise, and I recognised this during the campaign, that we've got work to do to address the concerns that some parents, not by any stretch of the imagination all parents, have about this. But I think some of these concerns are unfounded... the policy is fundamentally right.

"It's a policy that is tried and tested, it's been a policy that has been in operation in four council areas for some time, I think it's right and I will continue to argue the case for it."

A named person, normally a health visitor for very young children and a teacher for those of school age, is due to be assigned to everyone aged up to 18 from August 31. The named person will have powers to share information with other agencies without consent of children or their parents and are intended to act as a "point of contact" for advice or concern about a child. They will not have powers to force a child or family to do anything, although parents will not be allowed to opt out of the scheme.

Mr Carlaw confirmed yesterday that the Conservatives wanted to "stop" the scheme, earmarking it as an "immediate" issue for the new parliament to address.

Liz Smith, the party's young people spokeswoman, later said the Tories would be pushing Ms Sturgeon "all the way" to scrap the "intrusive and unnecessary" policy.

But asked about the Scottish Green position, the party issued a statement in which co-convenor Maggie Chapman offered no indication that the party would join the Tory efforts, although she said steps should be taken to ensure it is working properly.

Ms Chapman, who failed in her bid the make it to Holyrood, said: "After the tragic Baby P case, there was a broad consensus that we need more co-ordination between all the different public services which children experience. All the leading children's charities, like Barnardos Scotland, support the named person system to ensure that no child slips between the cracks of different services.

"This policy already exists in large parts of the country. As we expand this approach we must do everything we can to ensure it is effective, listening to everyone’s concerns and learning the lessons that need to be learned. This safeguard must work in the best possible way for children and their families, remembering that child protection is its purpose."