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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Pre-school nursery hours to increase in Scotland | Pre-school nursery hours to increase in Scotland |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Plans to increase free pre-school childcare have been spelled out by the Scottish government. | Plans to increase free pre-school childcare have been spelled out by the Scottish government. |
| The Children and Young People Bill will entitle three and four-year-olds to 600 hours of free early learning nursery education per year. | The Children and Young People Bill will entitle three and four-year-olds to 600 hours of free early learning nursery education per year. |
| That is an increase from the 475 hours of nursery care children can currently receive each year without cost. | That is an increase from the 475 hours of nursery care children can currently receive each year without cost. |
| An extra £10m will be allocated to organisations working closely with children, young people and families. | |
| Aileen Campbell, the minister for children and young people, said the funding was in addition to the £20m which had already been set aside over the next two years for prevention and early intervention. | Aileen Campbell, the minister for children and young people, said the funding was in addition to the £20m which had already been set aside over the next two years for prevention and early intervention. |
| She said the bill aimed to make Scotland "the best place in the world to grow up". | |
| Under the bill, looked-after two-year-olds, and those with a kinship care order, will receive the same entitlement as three and four-year-olds. | Under the bill, looked-after two-year-olds, and those with a kinship care order, will receive the same entitlement as three and four-year-olds. |
| The proposals aim to help children and make it easier for parents to work or go into education or training. | The proposals aim to help children and make it easier for parents to work or go into education or training. |
| The bill was put out to public consultation last summer. | The bill was put out to public consultation last summer. |
| 'More needed' | |
| Children's charity Save the Children welcomed the bill, but said that more needed to be done to improve conditions for children living in poverty. | |
| Policy manager Claire Telfer said: "There is much to welcome including the extension of free nursery hours for young children and we know families are absolutely crying out for this support. | |
| "But we can't stop there. Save the Children want to see this support being offered to more families with young children, particularly two-year-olds living in poverty." | |
| Children in Scotland, which represents more than 400 children's organisations, said the bill is anticipated to be one of the biggest pieces of legislation in the sector for more than a decade. | |
| However, it also called for more support for younger children. | |
| Chief Executive Jackie Brock said: "There are significant gaps in supporting improvement for all vulnerable pre-school children and children with additional support needs." | |
| Quality first | |
| The bill was discussed at First Minister's Questions. | |
| Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, called the bill "timid", and asked Alex Salmond if he would "be bold and match England in its provision for two-year-olds". | |
| Mr Salmond said extending provision further could lead to a "watering down" of the quality of childcare. | |
| "As we look at comparisons elsewhere, lets be aware of the deficiencies of those systems," he said. |