A new funding deal between councils and the Scottish Government will ensure parents will benefit from 1140 hours of free childcare.

Under the agreement, a total of £900m will be spent on the scheme by 2021.

The Scottish Government aims to ensure all three and four-year-olds will be entitled to 1140 hours of free childcare by 2020, up from the current total of 600 hours.

Increasing childcare provision is a key plank of the SNP's education policy, but Scotland's public sector spending watchdog warned it would cost more than it had budgeted for.

An Audit Scotland report in February found councils expected revenue spending on the scheme to hit £1bn by 2021/22, compared to the indicative government figure of £840m.

The Scottish Government hope the deal struck with local government umbrella group Cosla will go a long way to easing those financial fears.

Childcare minister Maree Todd said: "With thanks to councils the expansion plans are now well under way and will be backed by almost £1bn of annual public investment by 2021-22.

"This is a landmark agreement, which marks the culmination of more than two years of hard work to establish a robust shared understanding of the costs attached to the expansion."

Cosla's financial spokeswoman Gail Macgregor, said: "Local government is fully committed to early learning and childcare expansion to 1140 hours."

She added: "We needed to get this policy right from the start, together with the level of funding. I think we have achieved this by working together."