Yuk! Free school meals could leave a bad taste
Flagship SNP policy fuels fears on food quality as critics say inevitable increase in costs will see standards plummet
PARENTS are set to save £330 a year when free school meals are provided to every child in the first three years of primary school from tomorrow.
The SNP said that its flagship policy of extending free school meals to every Primary 1 to Primary 3 pupil will benefit 135,000 children – and their parents – across Scotland.
But critics have raised concerns that food standards will deteriorate as school kitchens are forced to provide meals on the cheap. Labour is considering proposals to scrap the policy if it wins the 2016 Holyrood election and instead restrict free meals to children from poorer families.
Top celebrity chef Nick Nairn has also said charges should not have been abolished – as they can help fund a food revolution. Writing in today’s Scottish Mail on Sunday, he also calls for every primary school child to be given cookery classes so that they can cook a pot of soup by the time they reach secondary school.
The SNP Government first announced its plan to roll out free school meals – which have only been available to children from poorer families until now – to every child in Primary 1 to Primary 3 last year.
Yesterday, George Adam, the Nationalist MSP for Paisley, said that the policy is ‘a major step forward’ which will benefit pupils and their parents.
‘We all know that the early years of a child’s life are the most crucial and can shape their habits for a lifetime – so ensuring our children have access to a healthy lunch could see real improvements in Scotland’s public health in the future,’ he said.
‘Ensuring the youngest pupils in our schools have access to healthy and nutritious lunches can also play an important role in improving attainment and helping pupils to achieve their best in class.
‘As well as helping our children to be healthier and achieve more in school, this policy will also provide a real boost to family budgets in tough financial times – with families benefiting to the tune of £330 per year for every eligible child.’
The SNP Government has pledged to provide an additional £12 million of funding to councils in 2015-16 to help pay for the cost of providing free meals.
But it has emerged that schools across the country will struggle to deal with the huge increase in demand for meals.
Responses received by the Scottish Greens last year following requests under the Freedom of Information Act showed that half of schools in East Lothian could not accommodate more pupils for lunch, while Aberdeenshire has 57 primary schools with no kitchen.
Argyll and Bute has 13 schools where food is prepared elsewhere, while Dumfries and Galloway has 34 schools without a functioning kitchen.
Alison Johnstone, the education spokesman for the Scottish Greens, said: ‘Free school meals is a sound policy, but it must be matched with modern facilities.
‘We know that many local authorities are struggling to cope, so I want to hear how they have been supported in preparing for this welcome initiative. We have a great opportunity to improve our supply chains and invest in the skills of the catering workforce.
‘Councils need support to make buying choices which have positive impacts for local farmers and producers. I will continue to put pressure on ministers so that they do not waste this golden opportunity.’
Nick Nairn, who has campaigned for improvements to school meals, said that he is ‘not convinced’ that extending school meals to all Primary 1 to Primary 3 children will help ensure the food being served is ‘good, tasty, attractive-looking and nutritious’.
He said that a £1 charge for every school meal would help bring up standards and he called for cookery lessons to be introduced for every primary school child.
Nairn said: ‘As we enter Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink 2015, I have a simple challenge to the nation: by the end of this year, let’s ensure that every child should leave primary school able to make a nutritious and delicious bowl of soup.
‘They learn arithmetic and how to tackle on the sports field, so why not how to feed themselves in a tasty and healthy way?’
Providing free school meals to every child in the first three years of primary school has also been criticised by former prime minister Gordon Brown.
He said that he favours ‘progressive universalism’, where ‘we get more resources to those who need it most’.
His proposals will be considered by Scottish Labour ahead of the publication of its manifesto for the 2016 Scottish parliament elections.
Iain Gray, Scottish Labour’s education spokesman, said: ‘In general, free school meals are a good thing, which is why Scottish Labour voted for the Budget which contained this proposal.
‘However, kids from the poorest families who need support the most won’t benefit from this scheme.
‘That’s why Scottish Labour suggested putting the resources to better use through extending childcare.’
‘Local authorities are struggling to cope’