Former SNP minister on why she wants children to be able to opt out of school religious events

Emma Roddick, who is the youngest MSP in the Scottish Parliament, said children should have their own religious views “respected”. She said children should be allowed to withdraw from religious observance events at school without parental consent.

Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, all state-funded schools are required to provide regular “religious observance”, with the majority of schools following Christianity.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from these events under this law. But there is no equivalent for children to opt out themselves, or to opt in if their parents have withdrawn them.

Last year Scotland officially adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which gives children the legal right to freedom of religion.

Speaking to The Scotsman, Ms Roddick said: “The UNCRC gives us a huge opportunity to empower kids and young people to have their voices heard.

“To me there is an obvious gap that kids can’t opt out of religious observances, even if it doesn’t align with their beliefs, but their parents can.

“On a fundamental level, everyone should be allowed to leave.”

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Ms Roddick, who was equalities minister under former first minister Humza Yousaf, said 60 per cent of children said they had no religion in the most recent Scottish census. She said there was an increase in the number of Hindu and Sikh children.

The Highlands and Islands MSP added: “Change is difficult - take the smacking ban for example.

“Anything that empowers children and recognises them will have pushback, but we have adopted the UNCRC and the legislation should be updated to reflect that.”

This comes after the Children and Young People’s Commissioner responded to a Scottish Government consultation at the beginning of the year, saying the Government proposals do not “represent significant progress towards UNCRC compliance”.

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.