The leader of Scotland's nurses has called for health visitors to be formally given secondary responsibility for the welfare of children.

Theresa Fyffe, Director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, said it was essential that they should be a youngster's "named person" under the Children and Young People Bill.

The child's parents would be able to turn to the worker for advice and support from their offspring's birth until the age of five.

Conservative spokeswoman Liz Smith MSP has lodged an amendment to the Bill, which is due to be debated today. Ms Fyffe said: "We think the ­Children and Young People Bill should explicitly state this crucial role should be carried out by registered health ­visitors who have the required training and skills to deliver the role effectively.

"This does of course mean that ­Scotland will require more health ­visitors, but that is the price that will have to be paid if Scotland's ­children and families are not going to be sold short."