A select committee member has expressed frustration at the time it was taking to draw up an over-arching strategy for early years provision.

Although it was included in the Programme for Government, Garff MHK Martyn Perkins was concerned at the time it was taking.

Mr Perkins feared the lack of pre-school provision, especially for the parents of children up to two, was having an impact on the economy because it was preventing some from returning to work.

He said: ’Somebody, somewhere, has to take responsibility.

’This has been going on for years. It is vitally important we do something across government.’

He added: ’We have so many departments involved it is a classic "we are waiting for them, waiting for this" and nothing gets done.’

But Department of Health and Social Care chief executive Malcolm Couch said more information necessary.

Dr Couch, who was also questioned by the committee during Friday’s hearing, said it was important to have firm evidence on what was needed, with which to present to the government and Tynwald.

’Otherwise we rely on hearsay,’ he warned. ’Some of it is very informed hearsay but it is not evidence.

’It is not good use of taxpayers’ money or the resources of government to canter ahead unless you know something needs to be done.’

He said it was possible some parents of young children chose to be ’economically inactive’.