DOUGLAS Chapman, has welcomed a paper on Early Learning and Childcare Entitlement in Fife, which the MP for Dunfermline and West Fife feels will benefit his constituents and their families.

For all eligible children, there will be a free nursery place which will increase from 600 hours to 1140 hours per year.

That equates to 30 hours per week based on the School Term with the aim that provision will be available over more weeks of the year.

The MP for Crossgates, Hill of Beath and Moss-side said: “In our constituency we will see 861 new nursery places created out of the 2,248 increase across Fife, with our youngest pre-school children all qualifying for 1140 hours of free nursery education.

“The big winners in Dunfermline and West Fife will be Hill of Beath, Rosyth, Halbeath and Dunfermline South where new facilities will be supported by Scottish Government funds to the tune of some £25m.

"For example, Rosyth Resource Centre, which was closed by Social Work just last year, will now be brought back into service as a nursery and, once redesigned and rebuilt, will become a great addition to the educational offer in Rosyth. Similar type new build projects are lined up for Halbeath and Dunfermline South. There will also be a number other nursery refurbishments at sites including Carnegie Leisure Centre, Inzievar Primary School in Oakley, Tulliallan primary in Kincardine and a new build facility in Hill of Beath".

He added: “Through Fife Council, the Scottish Government has successfully increased free nursery provision in 2014 from 475 hours to the current 600 hours and now we start to phase in 1140 hours by August 2020 as the new facilities are built and come on stream.

“I am also pleased to see that the Free Meal Entitlement programme will be extended from August 2020 to all 2, 3 and 4 year olds that are accessing Free Early Learning and Childcare.”