There are fears councils are threatening the viability of private nurseries and undermining parent choice, as ministers move to get Scotland’s landmark free childcare policy back on track.

Concerns have also been raised about how building delays, as well as staff recruitment and retention challenges, are affecting the scheme, with efforts ongoing to drive recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes as Children’s Minister Maree Todd prepares to decide on a recommendation that August 2021 be the new implementation date from which councils are legally obliged to provide 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to all three and four-yearolds, and eligible two-year-olds.

The original deadline of August 2020 was postponed earlier this year due to the impact of Covid-19.

Plans to increase the offer to 1,140 hours from 600 is part of a £1.5 billion deal between ministers and local authorities.

Speaking during yesterday’s meeting of Holyrood’s Education and Skills Committee, SNP MSP Alex Neil praised the Scottish Government’s overall strategy and principles.

But he added: “If you spoke to a number of parents… and certainly people in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector in North Lanarkshire, they would say the funding is not following the child just now, with a number of cases of where a child and the parent are being denied a place in the PVI sector, although that’s by far their preference, because the council has put a cap on their expenditure for the PVI sector.

“And the view is – and I have to say I have some sympathy with this view – the view is that the council is running the policy to suit its own provision needs rather than its regulatory needs.”

He went on: “I think there comes a time when the government has to say to recalcitrant local authorities, who are not fulfilling the spirit and the letter of the policy, that enough is enough. They have to give the PVI sector a fair crack of the whip.”

Fellow SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson echoed Mr Neil’s concerns, saying: “I’ve been contacted about the continuing frustration among providers that local authority places are continuing to be offered first, which doesn’t really reflect parental need or choice – and I think this is a threat to the viability of some of the private nurseries.”

Ms Todd stressed that North Lanarkshire Council was among those already delivering 1,140 hours of funded childcare to families.

On the national roll-out, she added: “Our latest data collection in August found that more than 80 per cent of children in funded ELC were receiving more than 600 hours and 61% of these children – more than 56,000 children – were receiving 1,140 hours.”

A spokesman for North Lanarkshire Council said: “Everyone who applied was offered a place for 1,140 hours of childcare by the end of September, however, this may not always be with their first choice of facility, particularly if it is a late application.

“This year, 86% of applicants were offered a place with their first choice provider.

“The application process was widely publicised and people who applied on time were told of their allocated place at the end of June. Late applications were still processed but that could mean that applicants were not be offered their first or second preferences.

“The funding for private providers has been fully allocated at this time, however, this is a fluid situation and funded placements can become available for a range of reasons. If an applicant’s first choice is with a funded provider, and we are unable to allocate them a place, they will then be offered a place at one of our council settings.”