This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/6215838.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Adoption revamp set to be passed Same-sex adoption block defeated
(about 5 hours later)
Unmarried and same sex couples will get the legal right to adopt children under legislation expected to be passed at Holyrood later. An attempt to block legislation giving unmarried and same-sex couples the legal right to adopt children has been heavily defeated at Holyrood.
A majority of MSPs are thought to be backing change despite opposition from others including the SNP's Roseanna Cunningham and the Catholic Church. MSPs overwhelmingly rejected an amendment to the new adoption bill by SNP MSP Roseanna Cunningham to prevent gay couples adopting together.
As the law stands, only married couples or a single person can adopt. It is argued the law will reverse the decline in numbers offering to adopt.
It is argued the move will give extra rights to children and reverse the decline in numbers offering to adopt. The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill is expected to formally be voted through on Thursday evening.
The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Bill was given the backing of MSPs in September. Defeated
Under the current law, only married couples or a single person can adopt.
Ms Cunningham's amendment was defeated by 98 votes to 11.
She claimed the majority of people in Scotland had concerns about allowing same-sex couples to adopt.
It has nothing to do with gay rights. It's about what's in the best interests of the children Roseanna Cunningham MSP
Ms Cunningham told MSPs: "It has nothing to do with gay rights.
"It's about what's in the best interests of the children."
Ms Cunningham, the MSP for Perth, broke ranks from her party to table the amendment.
She said the evidence suggested that the traditional family unit, with a mother and father, was the best for children.
Lib Dem MSP Margaret Smith, a gay parent of five children, condemned Ms Cunningham's amendment as "illogical and in the worst interests of children".
The Edinburgh West MSP pointed out that gay people could already adopt as individuals and that the legislation extended this to same-sex couples.
She added that there was no evidence to suggest that gay people were "anything other than loving parents".
'Loving parents'
SNP education spokeswoman Fiona Hyslop said her party did not share Ms Cunningham's stance on the issue.
She said: "We've not got people queuing up to adopt, we must encourage more people to do that, but we need to do that in a fair way."
Conservative education spokesman Lord James Douglas-Hamilton also backed joint adoption by same-sex and unmarried couples.
He described the amendment as "far too discriminatory".
Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: "It's not only wrong to prejudge a same-sex couple as inadequate parents, not only because it is an insult to them, it removes the possibility of making the right decision where they are an appropriate and worthy couple to be adoptive parents."
About 400 children a year are adopted but there are thousands currently in the care of local authorities.About 400 children a year are adopted but there are thousands currently in the care of local authorities.
'Loving relationship'
Patrick Harvie from the Scottish Green Party said it was vital to press ahead with full-scale reform.
He said: "Children brought up in a loving relationship do better, children brought up in a stable family environment do better - that's very clear - but that doesn't mean that marriage is the only acceptable model.
For me the evidence shows that children do best in what we call a traditional family setting Roseanna CunninghamSNP MSP
"The question for the state and for society is how best do we support all families to do the best job they can.
"You don't do that by simply saying that some families are second class."
An SNP spokeswoman said the party would be supporting the bill.
However, Ms Cunningham stressed that all children should have a father and mother and said that this was the upbringing which families should be based on.
She added: "This is not about gay rights, this is about children and for me the evidence shows that children do best in what we call a traditional family setting.
"That's what we should be seeking to replicate for children who have lost their parents."