Free school meals for all primary school pupils in Inverclyde

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, The expansion of free meals will cost an additional Β£170,000

Inverclyde Council has announced it will provide free school meals for all primary school pupils from August.

The council said it would be one of the first to implement the policy in a "significant moment" for families.

The expansion of free meals to include P6 and P7 children is expected to cost an additional Β£170,000 a year.

The Scottish government planned free school meals for all primary pupils by 2022, but the rollout for P6 and P7 has been delayed until 2024.

Inverclyde Councillor Jim Clocherty said: "We have one of the best education estates in Scotland, if not the UK, and now we're ensuring the young people who attend them are fuelled in the canteen to help reach their full potential in the classroom."

Inverclyde will fund the cost of universal free school meals in its primary schools from its existing budget.

An additional Β£350,000 will be used to furnish catering and dining facilities to cope with the increased demand.

Deputy first minister Shona Robison told ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Scotland last week that the Scottish government was committed to its policy of providing free school meals for all primary school children, but said budget considerations would mean the proposal for secondary schools would have to be looked at again.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said future Scottish government spending plans would target those most in need.

In a previous interview with the newspaper, Mr Yousaf questioned the universal provision of free schools meals.

He said: "I've got a 14-year-old now. Should people be paying for her free school meals when I earn a First Minister's salary?

"I don't think that's the right way to use that money. A better way is to target those that need it absolutely the most."

Free school lunches were extended to children in P4 and P5 after the SNP retained power in the May 2021 election.

The Scottish government previously said the policy would be rolled out to older primary pupils "later in the parliamentary term" but confirmed plans to include P6 and P7 children have been delayed until 2024.

Story provided by local democracy reporter Jack Thomson.