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Our consideration of relevant statistical information indicates that there has been clear progress on access since the reintroduction of free tuition in 2008. In 2014-15 14.0% of Scottish domiciled, full-time first degree entrants to Scottish universities were from the 20% most deprived areas, up from 11.3% in 2008/09.

We recognise there is more to do. That is why we have accepted the recommendations of the Commission on Widening Access, including the target that, by 2030, students from the 20% most deprived communities should represent 20% of entrants to University.

Funding of £2 million was allocated in 2014-15 and £6.8 million in 2015-16. Further funding was included in the Outcomes Framework funding that was issued to Health Boards for 2016-17. Our planned funding levels should allow us to meet the manifesto commitment by 2018 but the final 2017-18 budget value is subject to the Spending Review and will be published in the 2017-18 Draft Budget on 15 December 2016.

Responsibility for implementing the Commission's 34 recommendations is distributed across a number of education sectors and organisations. For those recommendations that are directly for Government we remain focussed on delivering within the timescales set out by the Commission.

Many of the recommendations involve systemic change and do not entail an additional cost. The Commission also argued that a significant sum is already invested in access and that it is important to ensure this resource delivers maximum impact. We are committed to working with delivery partners to ensure this happens.

We are currently in the process of gathering detailed information on the available capacity within the early learning and childcare sector.

In line with National Records of Scotland 2014-based population projections, we do not expect any significant demographical changes in terms of eligible children by 2020.

In order to ensure that the expansion of funded entitlement will support the delivery of more flexible provision, the Scottish Government is committed to substantially increase the number of qualified early years practitioners and invest in early learning and childcare infrastructure.

We do not collect specific data on the number of parents not using funded early learning and childcare. We do collect data on the number of funded registrations through an annual census in September which is published in December.

We are working with partners to explore the extent of on-site provision and will set out more information in the Scottish Government’s response to the consultation in Spring 2017.

We are currently working closely with the Scottish Out of School Care Network to develop a new policy framework for out of school care. The framework will be developed under the auspices of the Early Learning and Childcare Strategic Forum, whose remit is to develop and drive a strategic vision for high quality, flexible early learning and childcare in Scotland - integrated with an out of school care system - that is affordable and accessible for all.

Through our consultation, A Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland, we are seeking views as to how payment of the Living Wage and wider Fair Work practises can be encouraged across the Early Learning and Childcare sector.

We will publish our response to the consultation in Spring 2017.

Scottish government provided significant additional capital funding to local authorities to support implementation of the early learning and childcare elements of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014: £71 million in 2014-15, £69 million in 2015-16 and £30 million in 2016-17.

Local authority capital expenditure on pre-primary education for financial years
2010-11 to 2014-15 (most recent data available) is shown in the following table.

Scottish Futures Trust have not provided any funding for capital investment during the last five years.

A draft of the Skills Investment Plan for the Early Learning and Childcare sector will be produced by January 2017 and shared with partners. The final version of the Plan will be published in spring 2017.