RICHARD Leonard moaned that Nicola Sturgeon had given him too many facts when she answered his question in Holyrood today.
SNP MSPs were in hysterics after the hapless Labour chief complained that the First Minister had responded to his criticism on Scottish Government childcare plans with an “avalanche of statistics”.
The First Minister cheekily apologised to Leonard, for giving him “more facts ... than he’s able to deal with”.
The Labour leader had asked Sturgeon about the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase nursery provision in Scotland.
It followed a report from Audit Scotland last week warning about the resources needed to be in place for the proposal to double the annual hours in paid-for nursery places from 600 to 1,140.
Ministers have committed to hitting the new target for nursery provision by August 2020, but auditors are increasing the infrastructure and workforce "to the levels required" may be difficult "in the limited time available."
Leonard asked the First Minister about the auditor's concerns over staffing levels.
“So First Minister, where is your plan to find the additional 1200 nursery workers needed to meet your childcare promise?“ Sturgeon replied at length.
"Firstly a new recruitment programme launched in October last year, we’re developing stage two for summer this year, which is focused on career-changers.".
She said the government had "already increased capacity in early years courses in colleges and universities" and that there was funding for 1,500 additional places on a one year HNC.
The SNP leader said the government was also recruiting 435 additional graduates to work in "our nurseries in our most deprived areas and island councils by August this year. "
Labour MSPs started to heckle.
Sturgeon replied: “When Labour are getting that detailed answer to their question they don’t want to actually hear it,” she said.
Leonard started to respond: “Well amidst that avalanche of statistics…”
But the Labour leader was forced to stop by the sound of 61 SNP MSPs laughing.
“The FM did not even address the huge shortfall in capital funding,” he protested.
“The government rightly made childcare its flagship policy but as it stands there is not enough money, and not enough staff, and not enough buildings to keep that promise.”
“This policy might well fit on an election leaflet but your delivery of it is not fit for purpose”.
Sturgeon replied: “Firstly, let me apologise to Richard Leonard for clearly providing more facts in my last answer than he could cope with.”
“Unfortunately," she added, "I am going to do the same all over again…”
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