A Scottish Government working group tasked with tackling hunger over a year ago is yet to come up with a definition of malnutrition. Papers seen by the Sunday Mail also reveal the committee is still debating whether to gather data on children despite fears thousands of pupils are attending school hungry.
We revealed in October that the group had not met despite having been announced by ministers in 2021. Three weeks later, members finally got around the table – only to be warned they should be aware of “huge pressures” on budgets.
Minutes of the group’s first meeting state: “Discussion took place regarding whether it had been defined whether data is required for only adults or if it focused on children as well. Given the data that has been seen in terms of children recently... it was proposed consideration be given to all ages rather than having to repeat the work further down the line for children.”
Group co-chair Fiona Huffer, of West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, also told the group: “Malnutrition needs to be defined.” Public Health Minister Maree Todd set up the committee in the face of mounting evidence the cost-of-living crisis is leaving thousands of families unable to eat properly.
NHS Glasgow and Clyde has said the number of children accessing acute medical facilities due to malnutrition has rocketed from 572 to 1000 in a year. And a poll of teachers in July found schools across Scotland are seeing more than one-third of pupils turn up for class without having eaten.
Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “Teachers have been warning for months now that children are arriving at school hungry and yet an already delayed Scottish Government working group to look at malnutrition appears to be deciding now whether to include children in its work.
“The fact this working group is still deciding how to define malnutrition tells you everything you need to know. The Scottish Government needs to take action now and a start would be to role out free school meals to all school pupils."
The Sunday Mail’s campaign for free school meals for all children has been backed by trade unions, teachers and even Scotland captain and Liverpool star Andy Robertson who funds food banks.
Poverty campaigner Sean Clerkin said: “It is shameful that it took over a year for the Malnutrition Short Life Working Group set up by the Scottish Government to meet, especially when we are going through a cost of living crisis. When it met, they actually had to discuss on how to define malnutrition and they also had to discuss whether they should include children with adults in counting the numbers of people that are malnourished."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport announced the convening of a short life working group to make recommendations on a framework for the prevention of malnutrition and dehydration. The first meeting of the group took place on November 22, 2022, with further meetings planned for early this year.”
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