'Give two-year-olds free nursery place'

Mr Gray last week criticised the Scottish government for not extending a two-year pilot project, launched in 2006, that took place in Glasgow, North Ayrshire and Dundee. The scheme offered a free nursery place to the most at-risk two-year-olds, including those living in poverty or whose parents had drug problems.

Mr Gray was speaking during a visit to Lochview nursery school in Glasgow, which offers 15 hours of free childcare to up to 30 two-year-olds per academic year.

He said, 'We will only be able to tackle illiteracy effectively if we remove the barriers that prevent many people from acquiring these basic skills. Evidence shows that in areas where there are high levels of socio-economic disadvantage, we cannot wait until children reach the age of three. Our approach needs to start with the under-threes and be followed up in some instances all the way to children leaving school.'

A literacy report commissioned by Scottish Labour last year found that 13,000 children leave primary school unable to read and write.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said, 'Councils received record levels of funding from the Scottish government and already provide nursery places for the under-threes where there is a need, for example if a child is vulnerable or from a disadvantaged background.

'The pilots referred to came to an end, as planned, in June 2008. The outcomes showed no significant effect on development for the children involved in the pilot, compared to a comparator group. The positive outcomes of the pilot, such as the beneficial effects on parents, have been prioritised in the Early Years Framework. Successful implementation of the Framework will support not only improved literacy and numeracy, but improvements to a child's life chances, future health and employability.'