Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 31 October 2018
31 Oct 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Early Years
From August 2020, all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds will be entitled to 1,140 hours of high-quality early learning and childcare. Thousands of children in our most challenged communities are already benefiting from early phasing. This truly transformative programme has the potential to improve children’s outcomes and to make a significant contribution to closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
Quality sits front and centre of our vision. Throughout this debate, we must remember that children are at the heart of this expansion. That should be a powerful motivation for us all to work collaboratively to overcome the challenges that are inherent in such an ambitious reform programme.
We know that high-quality provision exists across the public, private and third sectors; we know that that provision can take many forms, including nurseries, forest kindergartens, playgroups, children and family centres, specialist voluntary settings, outdoor settings and childminding services. The funding follows the child approach empowers parents to choose the provider that best meets the needs of their child, so long as that provider meets a new national standard and has a place available.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-14521, in the name of Alison Harris, on early years. I ask those who wish to speak in the debate to press...
Alison Harris (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
The Scottish Conservatives are pleased to bring this debate to the Parliament today. The motion in my name addresses a few serious points that, thus far, hav...
The Minister for Children and Young People (Maree Todd)
SNP
I would be more than happy to write to clarify the position. There is an issue around state aid in respect of local authorities providing capital funding dir...
Alison Harris
Con
I would like the minister to do that straight away, please, because there is confusion. The fact that the minister mentioned one local authority although the...
The Minister for Children and Young People (Maree Todd)
SNP
From August 2020, all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds will be entitled to 1,140 hours of high-quality early learning and childcare. Thous...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I totally accept the Scottish Government’s aims and ambitions, but does the minister recognise that one sector feels very disadvantaged in promoting the Gove...
Maree Todd
SNP
Indeed, and I reiterate that this Government’s view is that the private sector will be crucial to our delivery of this ambition. I will update Parliament la...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
The minister rightly talks about the importance of standards and the necessity of paying people the real living wage. How does that square with the fact that...
Maree Todd
SNP
The funding deal that we reached with COSLA in April secures the money that is required to ensure the delivery of the living wage commitment. That landmark £...
Liz Smith
Con
The concern is that far too many local authorities are not engaging in such partnership working. Will the minister clarify—particularly in light of what some...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You will need to be quick, minister.
Maree Todd
SNP
I do not agree that that is the case throughout the country. I agree that there are pockets of troublesome, difficult and challenging partnership relationshi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Come to a close, please.
Maree Todd
SNP
We have heard providers’ concerns about sustainability, relationship difficulties, workforce challenges and the need to communicate clearly with parents and ...
Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Alison Harris for lodging her motion for debate. Childcare is an important issue that impacts on the lives of thousands of families up and down the ...
Maree Todd
SNP
There are 34,500 staff working in ELC across Scotland, 25,500 of whom are providing funded placements.
Mary Fee
Lab
I thank the minister for that clarification. We know that 11,000 more childcare workers are needed by 2020. I appreciate that the minister has updated us on ...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (John Swinney)
SNP
Does Mary Fee accept that the funding arrangements that the Scottish Government has agreed with local authorities entirely address the issue about the rates ...
Mary Fee
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for that very helpful contribution and clarification. Confidence in the private sector about delivering the policy is plummeti...
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
I call Tavish Scott to open the debate for the Liberal Democrats. 16:14
Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Thank you, Presiding Officer. You caught me slightly unawares there, as I was looking towards the Green Party benches for the next speaker, but there we are....
John Swinney
SNP
Will Mr Scott give way?
Tavish Scott
LD
I will happily give way, but I would like to finish my point.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I am sorry, cabinet secretary, but Mr Scott will not be able to take an intervention. Perhaps the point could be covered in your closing remarks.
Tavish Scott
LD
There must be a happy balance somewhere when it comes to the necessity of auditing the use of public money and dealing with the range of reporting that is no...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you, Mr Scott. I apologise for not giving you notice that you were about to be called. There was no speaker for the Scottish Green Party this afternoon...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to today’s debate on what I believe is potentially one of the most important and far-reaching pieces of legislation c...
Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)
SNP
Does the member recognise that we are in the pilot stage of the delivery and that, although some of the mechanisms used might not have been ideal, we want to...
Brian Whittle
Con
The people Clare Adamson needs to speak to are those in the gallery who brought the issue to my attention. I think that 2020 will be too late and that ballot...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
There is no doubt that there is cross-party support for the transformation of free childcare to 1,140 hours. No one can argue that giving children the best-q...