MSPs are getting to enjoy cheaper lunches at the Scottish parliament as the government did a U-turn on free school meals during the cost of living crisis. We can reveal the Scottish Parliament increased spending on Holyrood canteen subsidies to £75,000 a month before Nicola Sturgeon reneged on an election pledge to deliver meals to all P6 and P7 pupils.
The First Minister is now facing furious criticism after revelations that the parliament spent over £230,000 of taxpayer’s cash in just three months to give cheaper meals to politicians and staff. The cost price of an average school meal has been estimated at around 80p, meaning Holyrood canteen subsidies could pay for 93,750 school meals a month.
Former SNP health secretary Alex Neil said: “Delivering on the promise to deliver free school meals to primary six and seven pupils needs to be a top priority for the government. It is not something that can be delayed. If the money has to be found elsewhere, then that has to happen.
A start could be to stop subsidising meals for MSPs, civil servants and government ministers who can well afford to pay for them, while many schoolchildren cannot.” Labour’s Monica Lennon said: “Parents and carers who will struggle to put food on the table for children will understandably wonder how money can be found by the Scottish Parliament to subsidise lunch for highly paid ministers and MSPs but the Scottish Government seems unable to find the resources to make sure young people are not going hungry at school.”
The catering subsidy for Holyrood hit £230,119 for the second quarter of 2020-21. The sum for the same three-month period the year before was £156,059. MSPs earn around £66,000 a year. The First Minister had promised all primary six and seven pupils returning to school would get lunch.
But the policy has been delayed even though teachers and trade unions have issued dire warnings that children are going hungry in class. Lennon added: “For families who put their trust in the SNP and Greens, it is a complete betrayal that the First Minister has failed to honour her clear promise to provide free school meals to primary six and seven. Teachers, trade unions and every opposition party at Holyrood, including the Conservatives, support rolling out access to universal free meals to all pupils in both primary and secondary.
“It’s essential to do this before the cost of living crisis really bites for families in coming months. It’s not too late for the SNP and Scottish Greens to do the right thing and support local authorities to rapidly expand access to free school meals.”
The Scottish Government has claimed free meals can’t be delivered in primary schools because of a lack of catering
facilities. But some councils claim they are ready to deliver the meals as soon as they get the go-ahead. Fife councillor Cara Hilton said: “We are currently facing a cost-of-living crisis, which is fast becoming a cost-of-living emergency for families in Scotland and across Fife.
“It’s therefore extremely disappointing that the Scottish Government have failed to deliver on their election promise to fund free school meals for all primary six and seven pupils this August. Families are struggling and the promise of free school meals at some point in the academic year just isn’t good enough.
“We are ready to deliver and we urge the Scottish Government to commit the funding they promised so free school meals can be rolled out now to all primary pupils.” Ex-MSP Neil said: “I understand that the infrastructure needs to be in place, but if schools don’t have the kitchen facilities at the moment, we should be giving children the money to buy a meal.
“And we also need to see this policy extended to all schoolchildren.” The Sunday Mail has led a campaign demanding free school meals are extended to all children in primary and secondary school urgently. The drive has received the support of Scotland captain Andy Robertson, who has funded measures to tackle poverty through his charity and supporting food banks.
He told how he felt compelled to speak out now with the rising number of people struggling to feed their families.The head of the Scottish Trades Union Congress Roz Foyer has accused the Scottish Government of the deceitful abandonment of impoverished children.
She called their failure to deliver “an act of flagrant duplicity” after the SNP’s Green coalition partners backtracked on a promise to
support free meals for all pupils. All of Scotland’s opposition parties have backed the move.
Lib Dem schools and skills spokesperson Carole Ford said: “Every time SNP ministers talk about schools, teachers hold their heads in their hands. There is a clear educational benefit from pupils getting a nutritious meal.
"The Government will need to step up and provide schools with the resources they need to expand catering facilities and meet this pledge.”
Scottish Labour Education spokesperson Michael Marra added: “Delivering on this flagship election pledge is all the more important in the face of soaring bills but they have dropped the ball. This is a betrayal of all the families struggling
with the cost-of-living crisis and facing impossible choices this winter.”
Next week, MSPs will be able to enjoy butternut squash and chickpea balti with rice for just £3.40, or sweet chilli chicken with noodles and fresh coriander for £4.85 in the subsidised restaurant. In the Holyrood dining room, politicians can feast on Buccleuch burger with floured bap, West Lothian haggis, smoked applewood cheddar, tomato, BBQ sauce and french fries for £6.95, or crispy gnocchi with autumnal squash and forest mushrooms for the same price.
A Scottish Government spokesman insisted the primary rollout was a work in progress despite it being promised in August. He said: “We remain committed to rolling out free school lunches to all children in primary school.
During the academic year 2022-23, we will continue to work with our partners to plan for this expansion, supported by £30million of funding for expansion of catering and dining facilities. “This is in light of feedback from local authorities that it would not have been possible for all schools to increase the capacity of their kitchen and dining facilities within the original proposed timescale.
The Scottish Government funds local authorities to provide free school lunches to all pupils in primaries one to five, eligible pupils in primary six and seven and in state-funded special schools, saving families an average of £400 per child per year.” Responding to criticism of the failure to provide free school meals while MSPs were able to enjoy subsidised food at the Scottish Parliament canteen, a spokesman added: “This suggestion is incorrect –
Scottish Parliament spending decisions are for the Parliament, and not something the Scottish Government has control over.”It emerged last week Sturgeon splashed out £57,000 entertaining guests during COP26 in Glasgow in November, including a £45,000 gala dinner at Stirling Castle and an £11,000 reception at Edinburgh Castle. Her office also spent £553 on an “interview and dinner with the BBC” at Bute House.
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