Question reference: S6W-01192
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 5 July 2021
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Current status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 2 August 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will guarantee funding the continued provision of early learning and childcare for P1 deferrals beginning in August (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.
Answer
The timetable that we have set to fund all deferrals from August 2023 is realistic and ensures that the roll out of 1140 hours of funded early learning and childcare to all eligible children from August 2021 is not put at risk.
To progress implementation, the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have agreed a Joint Implementation Plan under which local authorities will pilot early implementation of this obligation in 2021-22 and 2022-23. The local authorities who are piloting this approach from August 2021 will be: Angus; Argyll and Bute; Falkirk; Scottish Borders; and the Shetland Islands. The Scottish Government has committed £3 million to support the pilot authorities this financial year.
We have committed to working to increase the number of authorities implementing the obligation fully or partially from August 2022, to further increase our evidence base ahead of the legislation coming into force the following year.