Green MSP Alison Johnstone says the government needs to be absolutely clear the workforce and the buildings exist to deliver this transformative policy.

I would expect the greatest oversight from the minister and she should be able to explain contingency plans to the chamber, she adds.

Ms Johnstone highlights a number of buildings are set to be delivered between July and August, meaning a large volume of new places may be being registered at once which could create capacity issues for the Care Inspectorate.

This debate is taking place within the context of increasing child poverty so every measure we take to improve the lives of young people is important, she says.

I will support the Conservative motion this afternoon as it is factual, she states.

Image source, Getty Images

Back in April 2018, the Scottish government struck a funding deal of almost £2bn with councils to fund a flagship policy to boost early learning and childcare.

The deal means £990m will be spent on day-to-day funding for the scheme by 2021.

This is £150m more than the government's previous estimate. Opposition politicians had previously warned of a £160m "black hole" in the funding proposals.

Read more.

Ms Fee says the challenge of recruitment risks the sustainability of these services.

The Labour MSP argues the biggest risk is with the infrastructure projects due just five months from now.

Audit Scotland says that risk has risen to the maximum level, she points out.

She says there is a lack of contingency plans for many of these projects.

The Labour MSP adds Brexit poses a threat to the policy, but the greater potential threat is the coronavirus.

The Scottish government has five months to get this right and Scottish Labour wants to see the best quality childcare led by dedicated, committed and well paid staff she concludes.

Labour MSP Mary Fee says around 27% of full-time equivalent staff for the policy need to be recruited by councils in the next couple of months.

I have heard anecdotal evidence that some private providers are losing staff to council nurseries, she adds.

Jamie Green confirms his party will support Labour's amendment, but highlights many private providers are struggling to pay the living wage due to a lack of funding.

Ms Fee accepts the point and agrees providers need to be supported to pay the living wage.

Image source, Scottish government

Families are being urged to apply for new funded nursery places as the national entitlement increases this summer.

Previously parents could receive 600 hours of free childcare - roughly 16 hours per week in term time.

In August this increases to 1,140 hours a year for all three and four-year-olds, and a quarter of two-year-olds.

Children's minister Maree Todd said the new scheme could save each family as much as £4,500.

Read more.

Ms Todd says childminders are expected to more than double the proportion of the ELC they provide.

She highlights that childminding is a fabulous choice for families who want to use their extra hours that way.

The minister also highlights the updated delivery support plan which she says will help partner providers across the country.

"This policy is about improving children's lives."

The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Scotland is 36 as of 2pm today.

This includes one case transmitted in the community.

Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood said: "We have identified the first case of community transmission in Scotland which is unrelated to contact or travel.

"This was identified through our enhanced surveillance scheme.

"It is important to emphasise that we are still in the containment phase.

"This case was to be expected and highlights the importance of the additional measures we have put in place to identify positive cases beyond self-identification."

The Audit Scotland report says there is effective national oversight of the problem, Ms Todd argues.

Hundreds more staff have been recruited since the data collection undertaken by auditors in September, she adds.

In January councils had robust contingency plans in place she insists, suggesting MSPs explore the plans in place in the areas they represent.

I guarantee that we will not find ourselves short of staff by August 2020, the minister says.

Children and Young People Minister Maree Todd says by September last year 50,000 children were receiving additional high quality early learning and child care.

The expansion is already happening, children are already benefiting and many more will benefit in August, Ms Todd tells the chamber.

Image source, bbc

The minister accepts there is still much to do but insists she is confident of the successful delivery of the expansion.

She argues Audit Scotland recognises the progress being made.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson points out provision will need to more than double by August.

I am absolutely confident that we will deliver by August, Ms Todd reiterates.

The Scottish government promised a provider-neutral approach for this but providers have no way of tracking the child, tracking the money or tracking the hours, the Tory MSP says.

There are major tensions between local authority and private providers, he warns.

Mr Greene says all providers of early learning and childcare must be funded properly.

He says his party is willing to work constructively with the government on these issues and he warns the "nothing to see here" attitude is unhelpful.

Image source, Scottish governmnet

A major recruitment drive is needed to ensure an expansion of funded nursery places is to hit its summer deadline, a spending watchdog has warned.

Audit Scotland said more than 4,000 nursery staff would need to be recruited and half the building work was not yet complete.

The Scottish government said it was confident the deadline would be met.

Read more.

Mr Green says the crucial point of this debate is about funding and sustainability.

The Tory MSP points out some local authorities have been clearly under-funded right from the outset, with 12 councils saying they will receive less funding than they asked for and 18 less capital.

The big elephant in the room is funding, says Mr Green, adding many nurseries will have to deliver the hours at the agreed rate with no top ups he says.

For many the rate is less than the cost of providing the care and the learning, Mr Green tells the chamber.

"To make ends meet providers will face stark choices and none of them appeal to them very much."

He says they can increase the rate and some have already done so by 15%, or they could reduce the quality of service to make ends meet.

The Tory MSP says this will hit those who can least afford the extras.

Mr Greene says his motion welcomes the government's ambition on childcare, but warns of risks to its success as highlighted by Audit Scotland.

There are concerns about local authorities having the staff and infrastructure in place to meet the policy aim, he says.

How the government will double up its recruitment numbers in just a few months is beyond me, Mr Greene says.

Any delay to these projects runs the risk of derailing delivery at the very last moment, he says, asking ministers what contingency plans are.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Jamie Green says for the most part, the childcare expansion policy has been well intentioned and well received.

However he says two years ago Audit Scotland flagged up concerns about the ability to deliver 1,140 hours.

Last week Audit Scotland again flagged up those concerns and said these plans are critically dependent on achieving much in a short time.

The financial watchdog also said there are risks around delivery and aspects of flexibility and choice may not be available in August.

"By ignoring our concerns the government does so at its peril."

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish Conservatives will now lead a debate on childcare.

The national entitlement to free childcare will increase from 600 to 1,140 hours in August.