I know what it’s like to go to school hungry – does John Swinney?

Children in Scotland are using their own money to buy food for their friends who cannot afford it. That's the stark message from Scotland's Children and Young People's Commissioner Nicola Killean.

Her warnings to First Minister John Swinney hit hard as the Scottish Government faces a major vote in Holyrood on the decision to U-turn on universal school meals.

Mr Swinney announced in his Programme for Government last week that ministers could not afford the pledge to roll out free school meals to P6 and P7, which would have meant all primary school children had access to the offer if needed.

Currently, all pupils in P1 and P5 can access free school meals, with the Scottish Government estimating nearly 278,000 pupils are eligible, including those in special schools and secondary school pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment.

Read more:

Starmer hit by rebellion as over 50 Labour MPs revolt on 'cruel' winter fuel cut

Of course, the vote on Wednesday will not change anything legislatively as it comes from an opposition day motion from the Scottish Tories – but a defeat could be an embarrassing political setback for a relatively new First Minister who has put eradicating child poverty as his central mission in office.

With P6 and P7's making up 14.7% and 15.1% of the 384,725 primary school children in 2023, there is more than 114,000 children who will not be automatically eligible for the free lunch, unless in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment – offered to parents in receipt of benefits like universal credit.

But outside of the political ramifications of the decision, there are potentially tens of thousands of children who may not have a proper meal all day without that free school meal.

Swinney announced that ministers could not afford the pledge to roll out free school meals to P6 and P7 (Image: PA)
As the Children's Commissioner puts it: “Warm words about tackling child poverty do not keep children warm, nor do they put food in their tummies.”

She also warned the decision to delay the “vital” universal roll out by 2026 was “shameful” and a “broken promise” after the SNP-led government made the pledge in its 2021 manifesto.

Her warnings also became more concerning as she said primary school children had said they were using their own money to buy food to share with their friends who could be going hungry.

Others, she warned, may have been given snack bars or toast by teachers who knew they had not eaten that day.

Opinions of universal policies vary – from free prescriptions, tuition fees to eye tests. But Ms Killean also warns only providing the policy to children in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment leads to stigma for some of the poorest kids.

Read more:

Unspun | Will Scottish Labour MPs rebel over Winter Fuel Payment cut?

I understand that opinion – because I was one of the children who would often go to school hungry, through no fault of mine or my parents.

It was the shame of waiting in line for the free lunch ticket to be given to you. Meanwhile, your friends and peers went straight to the canteen.

But there was a different kind of shame. 

It was also the worry of whether my parents had eaten enough that day – or at all – as they were sometimes forced to make the sacrifices of not eating, or skipping meals so that my siblings and I could.

The Children's Commissioner said: “One of the greatest barriers to the take up of school meals are feelings of shame and stigma, and only providing meals to P6-P7 in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment only exacerbates that stigma.”

“Food insecurity and experiencing poverty is a violation of children's rights and the Scottish Government must do all it can to meet its human rights obligations,” she added.

Sign up and get Scotland's top politics newsletter straight to your inbox.

The First Minister has said the decision to delay the roll out was due to the significant financial challenges facing the Scottish Government, also citing “prolonged Westminster austerity”.

It is no secret that sometimes tough decisions have to be made – and MSPs will face another tomorrow when they decide how to vote.

But children facing food poverty face tougher choices every day, ones that, if the Children's Commissioner is right, impacts their life right into adulthood.

Her warnings ahead of the Holyrood vote tell us that children experiencing food insecurity “are more likely to experience poor health, obesity and malnutrition, as well as other challenges to their physical and mental development”.