THE SNP's controversial named person scheme has won cross-party support at Holyrood, despite John Swinney acknowledging concerns of some parents over the policy.

A Tory call for a 'pause' of the roll-out of the initiative, which will see every under-18 assigned a state-appointed figure to look out for their welfare regardless of whether they are at risk, was voted down by opposition parties.

Liz Smith, the Conservative education spokeswoman, had hoped to win the backing of Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs by watering down her party's outright opposition to the scheme and instead asking them to support a motion advocating putting the brakes on the full implementation of the named person service, due in August.

However, the tactic backfired with Labour accusing the second largest party at Holyrood of attempting to "hide their real purpose" and failing in their pledge to offer a "strong opposition", which Ruth Davidson made repeatedly ahead of the election.

Mr Swinney, the education secretary, accused opponents of "scaremongering" and said the Tories had "utterly misrepresented" the Scottish Government's plan to assign a single point of contact such as a teacher or health visitor to children.

The Deputy First Minister said: "The Conservatives fought a vitriolic campaign on this issue at the election. They disparaged a sound concept, well-researched and widely debated, and characterised it as something it is not.

"Then they come to Parliament expecting us all to take them seriously when they talk of a 'pause' to implementation. The Conservatives are not after reflection. They want repeal. That is what they screamed at us during the election. Parliament should not be fooled by the temporary change in Tory tone."

The Tory motion was wholly amended by the Scottish Government and Liberal Democrats to express support for the policy and cited the support of a string of children's charities. It was backed by 74 to 30 votes, with 22 abstentions.

However, in a slight concession, Mr Swinney accepted "the concerns that some people have expressed about the implementation of the policy, and agrees that more must be done to ensure that implementation is successful and that the Scottish Government should, therefore, refresh the guidance provided to professionals and the communication of the policy to the public."

It follows a poll, published this week, that showed almost two-thirds believed the compulsory named person scheme amounted to an unacceptable intrusion into family life.

Following the vote, the SNP said the Tories must abandon their 'misleading rhetoric'. Backbencher Jenny Gilruth said the cross-party support for the named person showed the Scottish Parliament "at its best" by putting "the interests of children ahead of partisan politics."

She added: "I was delighted to join with colleagues in other parties to cast my vote in favour of this vital policy. And with the Tories completely isolated in their opposition, this should send a very clear message that they should abandon the misleading rhetoric they’ve used to stoke up fears around this policy for their own attempted political gains.

"When the Named Person proposals were originally brought before the Scottish Parliament they passed unanimously – with the Tories abstaining, rather than voting against – only to very quickly change their tune during the election campaign. To have sought to play politics with the safety of vulnerable children like this is nothing less than shameful."

However, the Tories accused Labour and the LibDems of "going soft" on the position they adopted during the election campaign, when representatives of both parties expressed concerns over the policy.

Ms Smith said: "This was a constructive solution to stop the intrusive and unpopular named person in its tracks. But instead of backing up what they said in the election about the need for a pause, Labour and the Liberal Democrats seem to have changed their mind again.

"Even the Scottish Government has admitted there are issues with this policy. We remain utterly opposed to this legislation, as do many professionals, experts and parents.

"Today was about trying to address the concerns of those people. But it seems once again the Scottish Conservatives are the only ones to stand against this damaging idea."