Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 03 June 2015
03 Jun 2015 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Nursery Vouchers
Mr McArthur knows, from our debate in committee yesterday, that the extension to 15 per cent of two-year-olds last year targeted the children of parents who were out of work and the extension to 27 per cent of two-year-olds this year is targeting the children of parents who are in low-paid employment to ensure that they get the support that is needed. This is about phased and sustainable support for the most vulnerable children in our society.
I know from going around local authorities and nurseries in the past few months that local authorities are consulting and engaging parents and families to ensure that the design and delivery of provision will be flexible enough to meet local parents’ demands. In fact, I have heard on my travels that some local authorities are providing extended hours following the consultations.
The purpose of the legislation is to set the stage for longer-term expansion and improvement. To that end, the First Minister has announced a commitment to increase further the hours to match those delivered in primary schools by the end of the next session of Parliament.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-13312, in the name of Liz Smith, on nursery vouchers. Unfortunately we have already had to inform a membe...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
On 20 November last year, in her first First Minister’s question time, Nicola Sturgeon gave a very firm commitment that her door would always be “open for se...
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP)
SNP
The member may be aware that Glasgow City Council runs a nursery application management system, which registers any child at a partnership nursery where ther...
Liz Smith
Con
That is only half the story. Registrations also include children on waiting lists, and they could be on more than one list. Those children do not have the en...
The Minister for Children and Young People (Fiona McLeod)
SNP
I welcome this timely debate, which comes only 10 months after the commencement of the Government’s huge commitment to 600 hours of early learning and childc...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I very much welcome the steps that the minister has outlined. She will be aware that, although the Liberal Democrats welcome the move in relation to disadvan...
Fiona McLeod
SNP
Mr McArthur knows, from our debate in committee yesterday, that the extension to 15 per cent of two-year-olds last year targeted the children of parents who ...
Liz Smith
Con
I have listened carefully to the minister. She recently provided a response to my written question in which she said that the model on which the Government’s...
Fiona McLeod
SNP
I refer Liz Smith to that parliamentary answer. She is right that we took our work from last year with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and our p...
Cara Hilton (Dunfermline) (Lab)
Lab
Transforming childcare is certainly one of the most important challenges that we face. As a mum of three young children, it is an issue close to my heart, so...
Fiona McLeod
SNP
I do not deny that we do not yet have full flexibility in the system, but does Ms Hilton agree that we are 10 months into what is a huge programme of improve...
Cara Hilton
Lab
Yes, but we are talking about a pledge that was made back in 2007, so the Government has had plenty of time to get things right. The reality is that parents ...
Liz Smith
Con
Will the member give way?
Cara Hilton
Lab
Yes.
Liz Smith
Con
Does the member accept that that is exactly what is happening in the Labour and Scottish National Party-led City of Edinburgh Council? Does she support that?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You are approaching your final minute, Ms Hilton.
Cara Hilton
Lab
That may well be the case, but the concept of vouchers for public services could be a slippery slope. More discussion is necessary. It is certainly not an id...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
We come to the open debate. We are very tight for time, so speeches should be of four minutes. 16:14
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP)
SNP
First of all, I should say that I have met the fair funding for our kids campaign on a number of occasions and have engaged directly with many of the issues ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Mr Doris, could you move your microphone up? I am having difficulty hearing you.
Bob Doris
SNP
That is not something that I am usually told, Presiding Officer. I am happy to speak louder. There have been significant and profound advances in childcare ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
You are in your final minute.
Bob Doris
SNP
There is a concern that local authorities—in this instance, Glasgow—would sometimes rather see a local authority nursery place sit empty in order to save cas...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Could you draw to a close, please?
Bob Doris
SNP
I will, Presiding Officer. My point is that vouchers are not the way to go, because the funding should always follow the child. However, we have to increase ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I am sorry, but you must close.
Bob Doris
SNP
—we can do it right across Scotland.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I am afraid that I will have to cut members off if they do not keep to their four minutes. 16:18
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I thank Mary Scanlon for her very generous remarks in the previous debate about Charles Kennedy, following his sudden and untimely death. He was a gifted pol...
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
Over the past months, I have seen a considerable number of parents who have been upset and disheartened by the way that Glasgow City Council has dealt with t...