The expert group set up to help implement the Scottish Government’s controversial Named Person scheme has been secretly scrapped by Ministers.

The Girfec (Getting It Right For Every Child) Programme Board last met in May 2014 and at that meeting, Police Scotland's Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham expressed concerns that high-risk children were no longer a priority.

Now it has emerged in a statement from the Scottish Government that the board was in fact secretly wound up shortly after this final meeting.

The decision was not made public at the time and the last board meeting report revealed the group was still planning to work right up until August 2016 when the Named Person scheme is set to be introduced, indicating the decision came as a shock to the group themselves.

Simon Calvert, from the No to Named Person campaign group said: “It’s quite clear from the minutes that this board fully expected to meet again so its demise came out of the blue.

“So far the Government seem bent on pursuing it at all costs and against all objections. It’s time they listened to parents, police, social workers, teachers and all the others who have serious questions about the Named Person.”

The Named Person scheme has been strongly critcised by lawyers, police chiefs, teachers and CARE for Scotland are working in tandem with the Christian Institute and others in opposing the plans.

Under this scheme, every young person in Scotland under the age of 18 would be assigned a State Guardian who will be tasked to look after the child's well-being or 'happiness'. Even if the child's parents do not want a State Guardian, their wishes will be ignored under the plans.

Read more from CARE for Scotland here.