OFFICIALS considered asking JK Rowling to promote controversial plans to appoint a state guardian for every child in Scotland.

Minutes from a meeting between the Scottish Government and outside stakeholders suggest getting the Harry Potter author “on board” to publicise the scheme.

It came after best-selling writer Alexander McCall Smith included negative references to the policy in his serialised novel series 44 Scotland Street.

He featured one character saying: "Can you conceive of a better way of insulting parents?"

An extract of an official meeting obtained under Freedom of Information suggests recruiting a “high profile person/celebrity – as that is the world we live in – to publicise Getting It Right For Every Child”.

It added: "Get JK Rowling on board, countermine [sic] the likes of Alexander McCall Smith – Z listers."

A spokesman for the No To Named Persons (NO2NP) campaign group, which obtained the extract, said: “This reveals what they're saying in private but won’t concede in public: they’ve lost the battle for hearts and minds and realise the court of public opinion is as much against the Named Person scheme.

"I’m afraid it’s going to take more than a trip to Hogwarts to rescue Named Persons – they need to dump this fatally flawed policy once and for all."

A Scottish Government spokesman said it didn’t make the comment and "nor does it in any way reflect our views”.

He added: "It was minuted within a summary of ideas put forward by external stakeholders.

"We recognise the important literacy contribution made by Alexander McCall Smith – as illustrated by the reception in his honour hosted by the First Minister at Bute House on 17 August."

A spokesman for Ms Rowling said: "As far as we are aware, J.K. Rowling has not been approached to support the Scottish Government’s Named Person scheme and there is no further comment."

The so-called Named Person policy has suffered various setbacks since the Supreme Court ruled elements of it were unlawful last year.