The Scottish Government has been urged to reconsider its refusal to end discriminatory nursery provision across Scotland.
As it stands, the amount of free nursery a child receives depends completely on the month of the year they were born.
Research by Reform Scotland has shown a youngster born between March and August gets a full two years of provision before starting school, while one born in either January of February receives only 15 months.
That disparity can cost parents £1,400 per child.
Today at First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith asked new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to change the SNP policy on the issue.
When the matter was voted on earlier this year as part of the Children and Young People’s bill, the SNP was the only party to reject the change.
But while the First Minister said today she was open to suggestions, she did not pledge to address the issue of disparity.
Scottish Conservative young people spokeswoman Liz Smith MSP said:
“Parents across Scotland do not understand why the SNP will not put an end to this highly discriminatory policy.
“Whether or not you are entitled to the full two years of nursery provision should not depend on which month your child was born.
“The policy means that around 50 per cent of Scotland’s children do not receive their full nursery entitlement and therefore it disadvantages both them and their families.
“That is exactly why every party in the Scottish Parliament, with the exception of the SNP, voted to end the discriminatory policy at the time of the Children and Young People’s bill.
“For reasons only known to themselves, the SNP decided to use their overall majority to prevent any change.
“The new First Minister has said that social justice will be at the top of her government’s agenda.
“That will not be the case until this policy is amended.
“Indeed, if more hours of nursery provision are on offer in the future, then the gap in provision will only grow and it could also mean a difference of up to £2,800 to parents using a partnership nursery.”