Scotland's deputy first minister has given an "absolute assurance" of his government's commitment to providing Catholic education in a speech to a headteachers' conference.

In response the National Secular Society has criticised the Scottish government's "failure to stand up for children's interests".

NSS education and schools officer Alastair Lichten said: "John Swinney's remarks suggest the Scottish government is failing to stand up for children's interests because it is too keen to cultivate a cosy relationship with the Catholic Church.

"At this conference church officials made alarmingly uncompromising declarations on how 'their' schools should be run and the intolerant messages they should promote in sex education. Instead of calling this out ministers seem keen to indulge them.

"Organised religion already has far too much control in Scotland's schools. The government should be rolling it back, not reinforcing it."

Read the full story on the National Secular Society website.

Image: John Swinney MSP, © Ninian Reid, via Flickr [CC BY 2.0]