Humza Yousaf has refused to guarantee the roll out of free school meals for all primary school children will take place within the next three years. The First Minister instead committed his Government to extending the policy without offering a timescale.
Free school meals are available to all pupils between P1 and P5 and the Government previously said the older cohort would also benefit by the end of this Parliament. However, with Holyrood facing a £1bn budget black hole, tough decisions are being examined and the original rollout is at risk.
As revealed by the Record, a leaked local government paper warned that the policy may only be delivered after the next Holyrood election. Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who has campaigned on universal free school meals, quizzed the First Minister on the latest delay.
