SNP drop crucial free school meal commitment
The Scottish Greens have condemned the SNP for dropping a Scottish Government commitment to expand universal free school meals to Primary 6 and 7 pupils.
Green MSPs previously secured the expansion of universal free school meals to pupils in Primary 4 and 5, alongside a commitment to include Primary 6 and 7 as soon as possible. The commitment was included in Programmes for Government up to 2023, but has been dropped by the SNP in this year’s plan.
This is despite the First Minister claiming that ‘tackling child poverty’ is his top priority. The Scottish Greens, who also secured funding to wipe out school meal debt earlier this year, are now calling for the SNP to explain this failure to deliver on a crucial promise to young people and families across Scotland.
Scottish Greens education spokesperson Ross Greer MSP said: “It is outrageous that so many children live in poverty across the UK, one of the richest countries in the history of the planet. That’s why the Scottish Greens secured the expansion of free school meals to all P4 and P5 pupils in Scotland, and a commitment to include P6 and P7 before the next election.
“The SNP have dropped that commitment, despite claiming that tackling child poverty is their top priority. At the very same time though, they are throwing millions of pounds of tax breaks at big businesses and elite landowners. They had a choice and they made the wrong one.”