John Swinney vows new childcare system for Scotland if SNP win Holyrood election with £500m spending boost
The SNP will overhaul Scotland’s childcare system to provide afterschool and childminder provision from nine months to 12 years, if the party wins the Holyrood election.
John Swinney has vowed to establish “a brand-new childcare system that fits around families” with a £500 million price-tag if the SNP is re-elected in May.
The keynote policy ahead of the Holyrood election, will provide year-round childcare for every child from nine months to 12 years of age, with a promise that “every single family in Scotland will get help”.
While £500m will be provided to set up the new system, not all families will receive free universal childcare.
It is understood that those on the lowest income will receive the offer for free and the current childcare entitlement will remain in place.
On top of that, on a “tapered scale”, entitlement will be available from nine months old to 12-year-olds, with a focus on after-school clubs and childminders.
The new childcare system for Scotland will take a number of years to implement.
In the SNP’s 2021 Holyrood manifesto, the party pledged to “build a wraparound childcare system providing care before and after school all year round where the least well-off families will pay nothing”.
A spokesperson for the First Minister denied that the original pledge had not been delivered and that the new vow was simply a rehash of the initial promise.
The First Minister made the announcement in his keynote address to SNP conference in Edinburgh, in which he also promised to underwrite £1m to clean up the Glasgow Union Street fire and set up a £20m support fund for those impacted by the blaze.
In his address, Mr Swinney took a veiled dig at Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, as well as Labour and the Tories pushing back on progressive immigration policies.
Mr Swinney stressed that the SNP “will always stand with everyone who chooses to make Scotland their home”.
He added: “We will always take on – and defeat – those who peddle bigotry and division.”
In a confident speech in front of delegates, Mr Swinney vowed to build on the work started under Nicola Sturgeon to expand childcare provision.
The flagship policy, which will require primary legislation at Holyrood to set up, will “extend childcare for every child in our country from nine months old to the end of primary school”, Mr Swinney said.
The First Minister claimed that “the SNP in government has transformed childcare”, adding that the situation before was “pitiful”.
Mr Swinney stressed that he has “heard the calls from parents across the country who need more support”.
“We have to go further”, he said.
“It is time to take a giant leap forward and finish the job we started.
“That is why I can announce today, that a re-elected SNP government will extend childcare for every child in our country from nine months old to the end of primary school and available 52 weeks a year.”
Mr Swinney added: “We will deliver a brand-new childcare system that fits around families – rather than expecting families to fit around the system.
“And because parents’ work doesn’t stop during the summer holidays – neither will the provision of childcare.
“Our new approach will mean families benefit from between £1,400 up to over £11,000 dependent on need.
“Every single family in Scotland will get help.”
It is unclear where the £500m will come from. Given the Scottish government is facing a huge fiscal deficit, it is likely it would have to be funded by cuts to other priorities or increased taxation, although a proposed UK government childcare expansion could provide some funding through Barnett consequentials.
Mr Swinney also announced millions of pounds of funding following the Union Street fire in Glasgow, vowing to help “make Glasgow flourish”.
He confirmed that to demolish the façade of Union Corner will cost at least £1m.
“That is £1m that should not come from the public services that Glaswegians rely upon”, Mr Swinney said.
“This SNP government will therefore underwrite the cost of clearing the site, meaning not a penny of the city’s public services budget will be lost.”
The SNP leader also announced a £10m recovery fund which will support the city council, businesses and agencies to “help rebuild and renew that vital part of the city”.
He added: “Let me be clear today – we will stand by our biggest city in its hour of need.
“The SNP will do everything in our power to make Glasgow flourish.”
Mr Swinney announced that the 15 walk-in GP clinics he promised to establish in October will be doubled to 30 centres. Currently, two have been opened.
The First Minister said: “I have heard directly from people who tell me how these clinics fit around their daily routines and bypass the 8am rush.
“I have heard from doctors about how they are freeing up more time for family GPs.
And I have heard the calls of local campaigners for sites to be located in their communities.”
The SNP leader told delegates and activists that “the opportunity before us is enormous” as he argued that independence can be delivered with a Holyrood majority after May’s election.
“We are closer to becoming independent than we have ever been”, he said. “We can almost touch it.”
He stressed that “your first SNP vote elects an SNP government”, while the second regional list vote “delivers independence”.
Mr Swinney said: “It secures a majority that will lay the path to a referendum A referendum that we will win.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “John Swinney’s speech was a stark reminder of what is at stake at the election in May.
“He has made it clear that every vote for the SNP will be presented as a mandate for another divisive independence referendum.
“He has already said that he will deploy tactics to break up the United Kingdom. And that's the risk of an SNP majority.
“An SNP victory would mean five more years of higher taxes, higher benefits, low growth and a damaging obsession with independence. But just like in 2016 and 2021, we can stop an SNP majority.
“Voting for the Scottish Conservatives on your peach ballot, wherever you live in Scotland, is your secret weapon to stop Swinney and stop another independence referendum.”
Jackie Baillie, deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said: “Today’s speech proved what Scotland already knows, John Swinney is the tired, arrogant and out-of-touch face of an SNP government that has run out of ideas after nearly two decades in power.
“He has been at the heart of SNP failure for years, and now he expects the people of Scotland to give him a chance to fail them all over again. Scotland needs a government that will fix the basics and deliver the change that Scotland needs.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.