PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
CHILDREN'S ACT (SCOTLAND) (10 July 1994)

That this House is concerned at the report in The Scotsman of 7th July, that the proposed Scottish Children's Bill is not likely to be part of the legislative programme of the Government for the next session of Parliament; believes that a substantial Bill is long overdue; believes that the Bill should begin with key overreaching principles based on the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and the Scottish Law Commission Family Law Report No. 135, namely that the welfare of the child concerned is the paramount consideration, that any delay in decision making is likely to prejuduce the welfare of the child that a child has the right to express his or her views, or to have them given due weight in accordance with the child's age and maturity in any actions affecting her or him, that a court order should only be made if making that order would be better for the child than making no order at all, and that both parents should have parental responsibilities to their children, as well as parental rights; believes that the Bill should express an integrated vision reflecting uniformity of concepts and terminology across public, private and adoption law affecting children, based on proposals from The Review of Child Care Law, The Report of the Inquiry into the Removal of Childen from Orkney in February 1991, Scottish Law Commission Family Law report No. 135, the consultation on The Future of Adoption Law in Scotland and Scotland's Children; and calls on the Goverment to introduce such important and necessary legislation by way of the next Gracious Speech and that such legislation should be taken at the Scottish Grand Committee if appropriate time cannot be found on the floor of the House and the Scottish Grand Committee is suitably empowered.

Sponsored by:
Dr Norman Godman (Labour)