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| Crunch test for school meals plan | Crunch test for school meals plan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Plans to give free school meals to Scots pupils in the first three years of primary school are likely to pass a crucial test, despite ongoing concerns. | Plans to give free school meals to Scots pupils in the first three years of primary school are likely to pass a crucial test, despite ongoing concerns. |
| A Holyrood committee is expected to back a piece of legislation allowing councils to put the policy into action. | A Holyrood committee is expected to back a piece of legislation allowing councils to put the policy into action. |
| Rival parties said it was still unclear how it would be paid for, but ministers insisted councils already had the cash to fund the scheme. | Rival parties said it was still unclear how it would be paid for, but ministers insisted councils already had the cash to fund the scheme. |
| The free meals policy would still have to be approved by the full parliament. | The free meals policy would still have to be approved by the full parliament. |
| Scottish ministers decided to bring forward proposals to roll out free meals in 2010 after a pilot in several areas of Scotland, which saw the take-up rise from 53% to 75%. | Scottish ministers decided to bring forward proposals to roll out free meals in 2010 after a pilot in several areas of Scotland, which saw the take-up rise from 53% to 75%. |
| Rolling out free school meals will ensure all children have access to good quality food every day Aileen CampbellSNP MSP The Scottish Government said councils would be expected to find the money for the scheme from the funding settlement already agreed, but some local authorities have said they cannot afford to offer free school meals. | Rolling out free school meals will ensure all children have access to good quality food every day Aileen CampbellSNP MSP The Scottish Government said councils would be expected to find the money for the scheme from the funding settlement already agreed, but some local authorities have said they cannot afford to offer free school meals. |
| The Scottish Parliament's cross-party Education Committee is expected to support the policy. | The Scottish Parliament's cross-party Education Committee is expected to support the policy. |
| But the Conservatives and Labour, which supports free meals in principle, said the legislation would not actually require local authorities to provide free meals for five to seven-year-olds. | But the Conservatives and Labour, which supports free meals in principle, said the legislation would not actually require local authorities to provide free meals for five to seven-year-olds. |
| They have demanded to know what action ministers would take against any councils which decided not to implement the policy, while claiming funding for the scheme was still unclear. | They have demanded to know what action ministers would take against any councils which decided not to implement the policy, while claiming funding for the scheme was still unclear. |
| Ministers have insisted the policy is already fully funded, with £30m from 2010, while council umbrella group Cosla has denied claims from some authorities that services would have to be cut to pay for it. | Ministers have insisted the policy is already fully funded, with £30m from 2010, while council umbrella group Cosla has denied claims from some authorities that services would have to be cut to pay for it. |
| 'Tragedy' warning | 'Tragedy' warning |
| Nationalist MSP Aileen Campbell, who sits on the committee, said local authorities would be prevented from offering free lunches in future if MSPs voted against the measure. | |
| "Rolling out free school meals will ensure all children, including the 90,000 children in poverty without access to free lunches, have access to good quality food every day," she said. | "Rolling out free school meals will ensure all children, including the 90,000 children in poverty without access to free lunches, have access to good quality food every day," she said. |
| Ms Campbell's comments came after she received a letter supporting the policy, signed by a list of organisations including the Church of Scotland, Save the Children and the Association of Head Teachers and Deputes in Scotland. | Ms Campbell's comments came after she received a letter supporting the policy, signed by a list of organisations including the Church of Scotland, Save the Children and the Association of Head Teachers and Deputes in Scotland. |
| "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," the letter stated. | "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," the letter stated. |