THE Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing as the UK Government challenges two Holyrood bills on children’s rights and local government.
The Scottish Parliament had voted to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the European Charter of Local Self-Government, into law – but the Tory government argues they both encroach on Westminster’s powers.
Scottish Government ministers have described the Tory push to challenge the legislation in court as “menacing” and a “blatant power grab”.
READ MORE: Poll: Majority of Scots say Tory challenge to Scottish children’s bill is wrong
Speaking at FMQs this week, Nicola Sturgeon said Westminster took issue with the children’s rights bill because it didn’t want its decisions “on things such as immigration to be subject to that kind of legal protection and scrutiny”.
She added their legal action shows “why we need more powers being taken out of the hands of the Tory government … and put into the hands of this government and this parliament”.
READ MORE: Tory minister under fire for claim Scots child rights bill is 'virtue signalling'
During the election campaign, the First Minister slammed the UK’s “morally repugnant” move.
The UK Government says it takes issue with the bills because they would “bestow upon the Scottish court extensive powers to interpret and scrutinise primary legislation” passed by Westminster. Therefore, they say both pieces of legislation are “outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament".
On June 28 and 29, five justices will hear the cases at the Supreme Court.
Earlier this month UK Government minister Robert Buckland came under fire for saying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is “virtue signalling” that will “make no difference”.
Bruce Adamson, the Children and Young People’s Commissioner for Scotland, has called the incorporation of the convention into Scots law “the most important thing we can do to protect and uphold the rights of children and young people”.
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