THE SNP government has suffered two defeats in parliament after MSPs voted to back free school meals for all primary pupils, and against bringing back peak rail fares.
First, MSPs voted by 64 to two, with 60 abstentions, in support of a motion proposed by Tory MSP Liam Kerr calling for free school meals for all primary-age children.
The motion stated: “That the Parliament believes that free school lunches should be provided for all primary school children, including provision in the school holidays, in this parliamentary session, as promised by the Scottish Government.”
Jenny Gilruth, the Education Secretary, had tabled an amendment to the motion, but it was defeated by 64 votes to 62.
Gilruth’s amendment wouldn’t have changed Kerr’s, but would have added onto the end notes about the impact of “the austerity agenda pursued by the previous Conservative and current Labour UK administrations”.
Directly afterwards, MSPs were asked to vote on a second motion, tabled by Conservative MSP Graham Simpson, and amended by Labour.
The original motion stated: “That the Parliament calls on the Scottish Government to reverse its decision to reintroduce peak fares on Scotland's railway.”
And the Labour amendment added: "And agrees that making public transport more accessible, affordable and reliable is key to supporting more people to use public transport."
The amended motion passed by 64 votes to 62.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop had tabled an amendment which would have replaced Simpson's motion in its entirety, instead saying that the parliament "regrets that the trial, which cost up to £40 million of Scottish Government support, was only a partial success in encouraging rail use".
However, Hyslop's amendment was defeated by 64 votes to 62.
The National columnist Lesley Riddoch commented: “MSPs have just backed Tory motions backing universal free school meals and removing peak rail fares on Scotrail – defeating the SNP who argued they haven't the cash for either.
“Motions are not binding but it's a sign of budget trouble ahead cos Greens voted with Unionist parties.”
The Scottish Greens ran something of a victory lap after the Holyrood votes, with party co-leader Patrick Harvie saying: "It was telling that the rest of the opposition have no ideas of their own, so spent the afternoon arguing for policies that we secured by the Scottish Greens as part of the Bute House Agreement."
He added: “The Scottish Government faces political choices and has opted to keep handouts for big business while asking rail users to pay more and breaking promises to families with primary school age children.”
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) said the votes had "shamed" the Scottish Government.
On the issue of free school meals, STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “The government has been shamed today. Our Parliament was right to hold them to account.
"Every day that a child goes hungry in our classrooms is a national scandal and it’s utterly incompatible for the Scottish Government to claim eradicating child poverty is their priority whilst they rollback on their pledge to our pupils."
Her deputy, Dave Moxham, called for peak rail fares to be scrapped for good, saying bringing them back was "inexplicable in the extreme".
The votes are non-binding, and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes had previously made clear that the Government's "financial constraints" mean they will not be extending free school meals.
