The Scottish National Party’s 670-page White Paper on independence, which also includes proposals on topics such as defence, benefits, tax and pensions, pledges 30 hours of childcare a week in term time for three- and four-year-olds as well as vulnerable two-year-olds. This is equal to the amount of time a child spends at primary school.
The proposals will benefit 240,000 children and create more than 35,000 jobs, Mr Salmond claimed. These new jobs would allow many women to return to work, leading to increased tax revenues and savings from reduced benefits which would, in an independent Scotland, remain in the country rather than going to Westminster, and therefore help to finance the plans.
The £700m proposals would also be funded by cuts to defence and security spending, including the removal of Trident nuclear weapons, and ending the married couples tax allowance, the first minister explained.
Speaking ahead of a parliamentary debate on Scottish independence, Mr Salmond said, ‘Independence would enable us to bring about a transformational change in childcare. The early years are the most crucial years in a child’s development. Our plan will provide high quality childcare that is both flexible and affordable for parents.’
However, Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said that while the organisation broadly welcomed the proposals, the government must consider the feasibility of the plans.
‘For providers to deliver the places and for them to be high quality with well-trained and rewarded expert early years staff, there must be enough money reaching the frontline,’ he said. ‘The majority of nursery owners currently report making a loss on each free place they provide. This means they are effectively subsidising the system and that, in the long term, is unsustainable.
‘Should Scotland vote for independence we would urge the Scottish government to ensure there is a robust funding system in place so it can deliver the extra hours and ensure parents have a choice of free provision in high quality settings in the timeframe of one Parliament it is proposing.’
Chief executive of Children in Scotland Jackie Brock echoed the concerns of the NDNA, calling on the government to ‘consider the detail’ of the proposals.
She added, ‘We do also note there is a lack of a commitment to out of school care – something Children in Scotland are urging the Government to review in the Children and Young People Bill. We are of course in favour of more agreeable childcare arrangements for families, but the commitment and attention given to pre-school education must also be applied once children reach school age.’
The referendum on Scottish independence will take place on 18 September 2014.
