Monica Lennon calls for apology over historical forced adoption
Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling for an apology to be given to the victims of historical forced adoption.
It seeks an apology from the UK and Scottish Government, following the approach taken in Australia which led to dedicated support and counselling for the women affected.
The motion has attracted cross party support so far from Scottish Labour, the SNP, Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Conservatives in Holyrood and Monica will be seeking to have the motion debated in the Parliament’s main chamber.
Monica appeared on the Kaye Adams programme on BBC Radio Scotland last week to discuss the practice which has affected thousands of women who were forced into giving their babies up for adoption.
Monica says “I have lodged a motion about the practice of historical forced adoption and hope that this will be selected for debate.
“Thousands of women and their babies who were the victims of this practice are still suffering the effects today.
“They deserve an apology and reparations from the state and I hope that the UK and Scottish Government will follow the lead of the Australian government on this matter.
“I am urging anyone who wishes to discuss this issue with me to contact me and be assured that this can be done in confidence if they wish.”
Monica is also urging anyone who lives locally who has experience of this practice or wishes to discuss matters in confidence to get in touch with her office which can be reached at 0131 348 6484 or at monica.lennon.msp@parliament.scot.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
See the motion below and linked here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/votes-and-motions-search/S6M-00138
Historical Forced Adoption
Submitted by: Monica Lennon, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour.
Date lodged: Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Supported by: Colin Beattie, Neil Bibby, Sarah Boyack, Miles Briggs, Foysol Choudhury, Katy Clark, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Bob Doris, Mark Griffin, Jamie Halcro Johnston, Richard Leonard, Michael Marra, Pauline McNeill, Carol Mochan, Paul O’Kane, Anas Sarwar, Colin Smyth, Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba, Beatrice Wishart
Current status: Achieved cross-party support
That the Parliament condemns the historical practice of forced adoption, where up to 250,000 mothers were unfairly coerced, resulting in their new-born babies being taken away from unmarried mothers; notes that, in the UK, it is estimated 60,000 of the women resided in Scotland; acknowledges that the babies were taken away against their mother’s will and placed for adoption; understands that lawyers examining the birth mothers’ cases have focused on the period between 1945 and 1975, before a change in the UK adoption law, when around 500,000 babies were adopted, mostly from mothers who were under 24, denying them the right to care for their children; notes the view that the UK and Scottish governments should follow the lead of the Australian Government in 2013, by taking responsibility for the policies and practices that forced the separation of mothers from their babies, and further notes calls for the Scottish Government to initiate an inquiry regarding the practice in Scotland, acknowledge to the public through a formal apology that there had been wrongdoings and ensure that support is available to women and families in Central Scotland and across the country who have had to live with the consequences of the actions of government in the past.