Invest in Early Years Education - Dakers & Khalsa

8.38.01pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 28th Apr 2005

Andrew Dakers (Brentford & Isleworth), Satnam Kaur Khalsa (Feltham & Heston) and Vince Cable (Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor) are all backing a substantial increase in the investment in early years education

Children in Hounslow will gain from Liberal Democrat plans to invest £1.5 billion in early years education, their Parliamentary Candidates Andrew Dakers (Brentford & Isleworth) and Satnam Kaur Khalsa (Feltham & Heston) say.

Dakers today welcomed the scheme to axe the Labour government's expensive Child Trust Fund so that more money can go on nursery and pre-school education, and pledged to take the battle to improve early years schooling for children to the General Election. He said:

"The most effective way to help children is to ensure their education and the support they need starts at an early age.

"Labour has promoted its Child Trust Fund on the basis that it will 'strengthen the savings habit of future generations, educate people in the need for savings and give young people a basic understanding of financial products.

"We do not deny the importance of investing in such long-term goals, but believe the reality is that children of nursery school age need our attention now. The CTF will lock up funds for up to 18 years before anyone sees the benefit. Surely the cash is better used on children's early years education than sitting in bank account."

Liberal Democrats fully support the government's commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020, but believe much more needs to be done if this is to happen.

Satnam Khalsa, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Feltham and Heston, said:

"Labour's Child Trust Fund represents a drop in the ocean - and a misguided one at that. There is still great room for improvement in child funding, particularly for those in their earliest years. The failing Child Support Agency and means-tested Child and Working Tax Credits are just two such areas in serious need of reform.

"The government has a duty to ensure children receive the monies due to them, for example from non-resident parents. This is why Liberal Democrats have long called for the CSA to be completely abolished and its collection and enforcement functions transferred to the Inland Revenue.

"If elected, we would also work hard to reform the system of tax credits, replacing the rather slow and bureaucratic systems currently in place with one more responsive to the immediate needs of families."