Editor's view

As the comprehensive spending review approaches, it's an opportune time to talk to Margaret Hodge, minister for children, young people and the family, and you can read up on some of her thinking on the Government's plans in our Special Report ('Duty of Care', pages 10-11). As she reveals, early years education and childcare is to receive a 17 per cent real terms increase in funding averaged over three years. While this obviously doesn't bring us near the spending levels (as a proportion of GDP) of Sweden or Denmark, it is a significant rise. The big question, as Mrs Hodge...