PRESS RELEASE
December 7th, 2009

Children first

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has called on the new education minister to make child protection a priority following the revelation that 144 children have died in ther last six years despite being referred to the Children's Reporter.

The shocking stats were highlighted by the MSP in the Scottish Parliament this week following the publication of a research report by the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration.

He called on the new Education Secretary Mike Russell to make child protection services a priority and instigate an inquiry into these deaths.

Duncan McNeil, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, said: “This report and the scale of the problem is horrific and no stone should be left unturned in investigating everyone of these deaths.

“If we are to reduce this tragic death toll we need to understand how these children lived and the circumstances of their death.

“The new cabinet Secretary Mike Russell must take on this issue as a matter of urgency to bring about an inquiry to ensure all the lessons are learned and services are there for the future.”