A legal challenge against Scotland’s proposed ‘state guardian’ scheme will be heard in court next March 8.

The Named Person legislation has been roundly criticised as undue interference in family life since it was introduced as part of the region’s Children and Young People (Scotland) Act last year. Set to come into effect in August 2016, the legislation would see state-appointed monitors to oversee the well being of every child in Scotland.

A coalition of opponents will now be afforded two days in court in March to lay out their objections to the plan.

Simon Calvert, spokesman for the the No to Named Persons campaign, told the Christian Institute that the government plans in this area are “uninvited, unwelcome and undemocratic”.

“The right to a family life unhindered by state interference is of such vital importance that we feel we have no option but to bring the matter before the Supreme Court.”

He added: “Despite the Government’s protestations to the contrary, the Named Person scheme is mandatory, not voluntary, it requires state officials to monitor the happiness of children, which is a parent’s job, and it lowers the threshold at which personal data on children and their families can be shared between countless officials, without their consent.”

The coalition of groups preparing for the court challenge include The Christian Institute, CARE (Christian Action Research and Education), TYMES Trust and the Family Education Trust.

Mr Calvert pointed out that, in addition to the organised groupings, some 15,000 Scots have signed the coalition’s petition on the issue.