SNP ministers have been criticised for a lack of urgency in redrawing plans to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law after losing a Supreme Court case.
Scottish LibDem education spokesperson, Willie Rennie, has labelled a commitment from Deputy First Minister John Swinney that he is “considering very carefully” the next steps as “disappointing”.
MSPs unanimously passed legislation at Holyrood to embed the UN right of the child into law in Scotland – but the UK Supreme Court ruled it was outside Holyrood’s powers and referred it back to MSPs for reconsideration.
In a letter to Holyrood’s Education Committee, Mr Swinney acknowledged “there may be frustration that we are not yet in a position to address the Supreme Court judgment or to share our detailed considerations”.
He added that the outcome of the court case “raises a number of complex issues for both the Bill and the wider devolution settlement, and these complexities require very careful consideration”.
READ MORE: SNP accused of 'playing games with children's rights' after court defeat
Mr Swinney added: “It is vitally important that we work through the full implications of the decision to ensure that incorporation can happen as quickly as possible with a high degree of confidence that any amendments to the Bill do not attract further challenge.”
The Deputy First Minister said: “As soon as it is possible to do so, we will explain our proposed response to the Supreme Court judgment and invite responses from targeted stakeholders to a small number of questions.
“This will focus on the technical means by which we propose to effect incorporation to the fullest extent possible, in light of the judgment, and we will not be revisiting the broader principles of the model of incorporation.”
He added: “The purpose of the targeted engagement will be to help make sure that, in light of the Supreme Court judgment, stakeholders are confident that the proposed route to incorporation does not diminish our commitment to incorporation to the maximum extent possible.
“I am also committed to working with the Scottish Parliament to agree a timetable which enables us to move forward quickly whilst ensuring it has the opportunity to properly scrutinise our legislative response to the Supreme Court’s judgment.”
Mr Rennie branded the letter “a deeply disappointing can-kicking exercise”.
He said: "It was Scottish Government blunders which saw this important legislation struck down by the Supreme Court, but rather than come up with a fix, it seems to be stuck in the Cabinet Secretary's in-tray.
"Parliament overwhelmingly backed this legislation and we need to see it return to parliament urgently with fixes in place.
"After a tough year for children and young people we should be taking steps that demonstrate that their rights are important to our country. Right now, the Cabinet Secretary is selling them short."
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