NURSERY owners have raised serious questions over government plans to double the amount of free childcare available for three and four-year-olds saying the current funding methods are failing.

Increasingly, figures show a postcode lottery of unrestricted access to Government-funded pre-school early learning places for three and four-year-olds at private nurseries as councils, who hold the purse strings, feel the pinch.

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Scotland has been fighting without success to ensure that parental choice is enshrined in law and that pre-school education funding follows the child directly, rather than going to councils.

All three and four-year-olds are entitled to 16 hours a week of free nursery education. It is paid for through a Government allocation to local authorities and is to be offered at accredited day nurseries, private nursery schools, pre-schools, playgroups and primary school reception classes used by parents

In 2011, it was revealed East Dunbartonshire Council was the first local authority to restrict funding because the £1.3m it allocated for funding partners' nursery places had run out.

Other councils have since admitted introducing restrictions, either by capping the number of places, setting deadlines, or only accepting or prioritising local children.

Last week the new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled the ambitous plans which would see the number of free hours increase from 16 to 30 every week.

But Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries said the SNP must make sure the correct funding is in place.

She said:"While this proposal would be valuable, there must be enough money reaching the frontline.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We expect local authorities to meet their statutory responsibilities and it is for each of them to decide how best to do that to meet local needs, including using a mix of provision such as nurseries, family centres and child-minders."