The Scottish Tories are set to force a vote on Scottish Government plans to pause the rollout of free lunches to all primary school pupils. 

Currently, all children in primary 1 to 5, at schools run by their local council or funded by the Scottish Government, can get free lunches during term time.

The SNP's 2021 manifesto included a promise to expand that to include all P6 and P7 pupils, and last year, the then first minister Humza Yousaf promised it would be rolled out by 2026.

However, in his Programme for Government, John Swinney said only those P6 and P7 pupils whose parents receive the Scottish Child Payment, would be eligible for free school meals. 

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The Scottish Government has insisted that they will expand the programme, but only when they can afford it.

The move from a universal approach to a targeted approach came just 24 hours after Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced £500 million worth of cuts to public services to help tackle a £1 billion black hole.

Scottish Tory education spokesperson Liam Kerr said his party would use one of their opposition day debates on Wednesday to pressure the government into reversing the decision.

Although the vote will not be binding, it could prove embarrassing for Mr Swinney.

He does not have a majority in Holyrood, and if all the other parties back the motion, the SNP will be defeated.

 

Mr Kerr said: “John Swinney and the SNP have shamefully abandoned Scotland’s poorest pupils by axing the universal rollout of free school meals in primary schools.

“We are using crucial Parliamentary time this week urging him to reverse that shocking decision. It is another example of how the SNP have repeatedly let down Scotland’s children.

“John Swinney as education secretary personally made this promise to deliver free school meals to every primary school pupil in Scotland. By ditching it, it flies in the face of the SNP’s plans to eradicate child poverty.

“I urge the SNP to do the right thing and deliver this pledge as promised. The Scottish Conservatives have been proud to stand on a similar pledge and continue to do so.

“If the SNP will not u-turn then I call on MSPs from all parties to join the Scottish Conservatives and send the strongest possible message to the SNP in this vote on Wednesday and back the rollout of free school meals for all primary pupils.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said it had warned about “growing pressure on public finances” and added: "That means that, while we remain resolutely committed to the universal expansion of free school meals in primary schools, this will not now be fully completed by 2026.

"We continue to provide free school meals for nearly 278,000 pupils in primaries 1 to 5, special schools and to those eligible to S6… we will now expand ­provision further to those in Primary 6 and 7 in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment."