Parents across Scotland have built up a £1million school meals debt as the cost of living crisis hits household budgets.
Now calls have been made to wipe out the debt amid claims that families being chased for unpaid dinner bills simply can’t afford to pay.
Free school meals are currently given to all children in primary years one to five, but charges apply to older primary school children and secondary school pupils unless their parents are on benefits or low incomes.
The Greens, who share power with the SNP in the Scottish Government, asked all 32 councils for the total debt incurred by families for school dinners in schools and nurseries.
They found that a huge £968,082 was owed by 28 councils, with the bill certain to be more than £1million when the four other councils are taken into account.
Green MSP Ross Greer urged councils to waive the debt. He said: “With the cost of living crisis putting huge pressure on family finances, this is the right time to write off all outstanding school meal debt.
“Pursuing the debt is causing stress and embarrassment for pupils and their families but I’ve also spoken to school staff who hate being put in the position of asking pupils for money they know the family does not have.
“Writing off this debt would be an excellent way for councils to also help families with the financial burdens they face.”
Twenty-eight local authorities provided figures, with North Ayrshire confirming £141,528 of debt and £114,690 in Aberdeen.
The figure in Perth and Kinross stood at £81,026, South Lanarkshire came in at £107,847, while Edinburgh was £40,497. Of the £968,082 total, £812,026 was incurred by families in primary schools, £55,571 in secondaries and £1143 in nurseries.
Debt in additional support needs schools was £18,463 and £15,126 in “3-18 schools”. The Scottish government intends to roll out the free school meals programme to all primary pupils within three years.
But Labour MSP Mark Griffin hit out, saying: “Make no mistake – the Scottish Greens share in the responsibility for the financial hardship that these families face.”
Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie added: “The Greens are part of the problem, not the solution, as councils have faced years of cuts thanks to the Greens and the SNP.”
A spokesperson for council umbrella group Cosla said: “All councils work closely with families to address hardship and where necessary provide financial assistance but, given recent local government settlements, there is a real balancing act for councils between realising income for frontline services and targeting support for families in need.”
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