Parliament backs Green call to cap school uniform costs as soon as possible
The Scottish Parliament has backed Scottish Greens' proposals to alleviate the cost-of-living for parents by capping school uniform costs at the earliest opportunity.
MSPs voted in favour of Scottish Green MSP Laura Moodie’s amendment on Wednesday calling for guidance on affordable school uniforms to be “placed on a statutory footing as soon as possible”.
The guidance was originally introduced and co-developed by the Scottish Greens during their time in Government. It recommends allowing generic, low-cost uniform items that families can buy from a range of shops, rather than forcing them to purchase expensive branded clothing from specialist suppliers.
It also recommended that school uniform policies should be designed around the School Clothing Grant covering the cost of everything pupils need for the school year, including a reasonable number of spares and replacements.
Currently, without a legal requirement to follow the guidance, families are still facing widely differing costs depending on where they live. However, with Laura’s amendment passing, the existing guidance would legally bind every council to implement measures to bring down costs.
Scottish Greens education spokesperson Laura Moodie said:
“I am delighted that the Scottish Parliament backed my amendment, as school uniforms are one area where councils and schools could make an immediate difference to families faced with rising costs and household bills.
“My amendment seeks to end the postcode lottery and, when implemented, will ensure all families can benefit from cheaper, more accessible school uniforms.
“Far too many schools across the country still have harsh, outdated and completely unnecessary uniform rules, including exclusive deals with specific suppliers. It means that families can end up paying ridiculous prices for mandatory branded clothing.
“It is beyond time that we stop forcing parents to pay excessive amounts for a branded school uniform when some basic items can be bought for far cheaper elsewhere.
“I am proud that the Scottish Greens in Government worked to produce this guidance, but it is now time for it to be made legally binding.
“I urge the Scottish Government to make this a reality, so that every council has to act and every family can benefit from reduced costs, wherever they live in the country."