Editor's view

Most of the recommendations and analysis in the National Audit Office's major report into the early years sector will come as no surprise to those who have been following the progress of the National Childcare Strategy (see News, page 4). But one figure really makes you sit up and take notice - the Government has spent £14 billion on early years education and childcare since the launch of the strategy in 1998. In the light of this huge amount, then, it is somewhat disappointing that over the period under scrutiny, the net gain in pre-school places is relatively small. Numbers...