LABOUR has called on the Government to use the Scottish Grand

Committee to introduce long-awaited legislation to protect Scotland's

children.

In what they have called ''an unprecedented opposition offer of

legislative co-operation'' Labour says it has removed all the

Government's excuses for not pushing ahead with fresh legislation to

protect youngsters.

Speaking in Glasgow yesterday, Shadow Scottish Secretary George

Robertson said updated legislation for children in Scotland was

longoverdue. He said the Government was already giving hints that a

Children's Bill -- which was put aside in the last parliamentary session

-- would fall in the next session.

''A Children's Bill should have appeared last year, but was pushed

aside for local government reorganisation,'' Mr Robertson said.

''Scotland is already five years behind England in its reform of laws

for children . . . yet the Government are reportedly arguing that there

will be no time for the Bill even in the next parliamentary session.

''I believe it would be unforgiveable if the Government were to drop

it again this year through a misplaced sense of priorities. That's why

we are making this unprecedented offer to the Government to use the new

procedures of the Scottish Grand Committee.''

Mr Robertson said a Children's Bill that was properly drafted to

ensure cross-party support could be referred to the grand committee,

saving parliamentary time.