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Liberal and Conservative MSPs have accused of trying to take food from Borders school pupils today (Wednesday) during a crucial vote that will allow free school meals to be extended to 118,000 pupils across Scotland by 2010.
The legislation introduced by the Scottish Government to extend free school meals to all P1 to P3 children passed despite the failure of opposition parties to support the proposals. SNP MSP Christine Grahame slammed Conservative and Liberal members of the Education Committee who attempted to vote down the proposal and said:
“This is a policy that will benefit 118,000 pupils and has been warmly welcomed by a wide variety of groups such as Save the Children, Unison, The Poverty Alliance and teachers groups as well as parents and pupils themselves.
“Even Labour’s own man on COSLA, President Pat Watters has confirmed the policy has been budgeted for and there is no reason why any Council should have to cut other services to fund the policy. That has not stopped Liberal Democrats at Scottish Borders Council spinning unnecessary fear and alarm over the policy that will improve children’s health.
“Liberal, Conservative and Labour Councillors signed up to this policy as part of the historic concordat between the Scottish Government and local authorities and they should honour that commitment, not use it as a smokescreen to cut vital local services elsewhere, which is the case at Scottish Borders Council.
“With estimates showing 118,000 additional pupils will benefit from free school meals as a result of today’s vote in favour of the policy is excellent news for Scotland’s children.
“This was a disgraceful vote by the Lib Dems – possibly their worst act in the Parliament since devolution.
“Borderers will be astonished that the Lib Dem MSP on the committee voted with the Tory to effectively take healthy food from the mouths of Borders’children.
“This shows just how right wing and out of touch the Lib Dems have become – no wonder they lost their deposits in Glasgow East and Glenrothes.
“As the pilot schemes showed free school meals are popular and successful with children, parents and teachers. Today’s decision is an excellent step for Scotland’s school pupils.”
ENDS
1. The legislation passed by 3 for (SNP), 2 against (Con / LD) and 3 abstentions (Lab)
2. The text of the letter sent to all Committee members from the following organisations is below;
Save the Children, Child Poverty Action Group, Unison, The Poverty Alliance, One Parent Families Scotland, Scottish Women’s Committee, Association of Head Teachers and Deputes in Scotland, the Church and Society Council and the Scottish Local Government Forum against Poverty
Draft Provision of School Lunches (Disapplication of the Requirement to Charge) (Scotland) Order 2008
We are writing to urge you as a member of the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee to recommend that the draft Provision of School Lunches (Disapplication of the Requirement to Charge) (Scotland) Order 2008 be approved as moved in Committee this coming Wednesday 19th November.
Approving the Order is essential to allow local authorities to roll out provision of free school meals to all P1 to P3 pupils in their areas, a provision that we believe will make an important contribution to children’s education, health and well being, as well as providing much needed relief to hard pressed family budgets.
Given the consensus that exists on the importance of nutrition to children’s development we believe it would be a tragedy if a scheme which has boosted healthy school meal uptake so significantly was prevented from being rolled out by local authorities.
We would therefore be grateful for your reassurance that you will work to ensure that the Committee recommends the approval of the Order.
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