Majority of councils welcome free school meals for all P1 to P3

The majority of Councils submitting evidence to Holyrood’s Education Committee say they “welcome” or are positive about the agreement between the Scottish Government and COSLA to roll out free school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils in 2010.

Of the 24 Council responses to the Committee:

• Ten explicitly welcome or are positive about the policy and make no suggestion that they will not be rolling out the policy in 2010 (as agreed in the Concordat between local government and the Scottish Government).
• Four provide financial information only, without comment, but do not make any suggestion they will not be rolling out the policy as agreed in the Concordat.
• Four welcome the policy, but do raise concerns about funding and raise a question mark over whether they can implement.
• Only four suggest they oppose the policy, of which three won’t commit to funding it, or say they will have to cut other education services.
• One has concerns over funding but has provisionally allocated funding, and one has yet to take a view.

According to John Dickie, head of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland and a leading member of the Scottish Campaign for Free School Meals

“It would be a tragedy if the education, health and wellbeing of our children were to fall foul of a wider political dispute. For the sake of children and hard pressed families across Scotland, the promise of free school meals for every child in the early years of primary school must be kept.”

Notes for editors

1. Written submissions from Cosla and local authorities can be viewed at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/ellc/documents/provisionofschoollunches.pdf

2. For more details contact John Dickie, head of CPAG in Scotland, on 07795 340 618