Humza Yousaf has denied he will halt plans for universal free school meals and insisted a pilot of the policy in secondary schools will go ahead. It comes after the First Minister last week indicated he did not believe it was the most effective way to tackle child poverty.
He’d said: “I don’t think that’s the right way to use that money”. But Yousaf appeared to U-turn after furious criticism from cross-party supporters of the proposal, which is the focus of a Sunday Mail campaign.
They argued means testing free meals creates a stigma for pupils attending class hungry and pointed to huge administration savings from a universal approach. Yousaf has now insisted a secondary school pilot will go ahead as promised.
A Scottish Government spokeman said: “It is important that we carry out the necessary planning work required to deliver our free school meal expansion programme. In due course we will consider which areas will be included in any pilot of free meals in secondary schools.”
Opposition politicians had reacted furiously to the suggestion the government could be backpedalling on the commitment. Labour’s Monica Lennon said: “It would be mean and cruel to put the brakes on the rollout of universal free school meals. Hunger knows no age limits and the First Minister must fulfil the rights of all children and young people.”
Scottish Conservative education spokesman Stephen Kerr said: “Humza Yousaf was elected on a pledge to bring forward this pilot. “Those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis need to know if this pilot is still planned to go ahead – or whether this was just a ploy to get voters on side.”
Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie said: “Children learn better when they are well fed. Just eight weeks in, Humza Yousaf has been forced into U-turn after U-turn.” Alex Salmond’s Alba Party has launched a petition demanding the roll out of free school meals for all school children.
The Sunday Mail will co-host an event in Parliament this week along with the STUC who are campaigning for the urgent extension of free school meal provision. Yousaf has said he cannot attend but insisted he would “engage with” the STUC on the issue.
A spokesman said: “The First Minister receives a large volume of requests for meetings but, unfortunately, it isn’t possible to attend them all.”
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