Free school meals

25 March 2008

The Scottish Government has announced that children across five council areas will continue to get free, nutritious school meals until the end of the school year.

The trial of free school meals, which was due to finish at the end of March, has now been extended until the summer holidays for all primary one to three pupils in the Borders, Fife, Glasgow, East Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire.

Around £5 million has been committed to the trials so far and more than 35,000 pupils are receiving meals.

Ministers will evaluate the pilots for evidence on:

Changes in attitudes and behaviours by children and parents to school meals and healthy eating
Eating habits - in school and at home
Pupils' views on healthy school meals
Practical issues for schools
Development of social skills as children eat together

If the evaluation of the trial is positive, the Scottish Government has agreed in its Concordat with local government that all primary one to three pupils in Scotland will be entitled to free school meals.

Visiting St Columba's Primary School in Cupar to see the impact of the initiative first-hand, Children's Minister Adam Ingram said:

"Good, healthy, nutritious food - that's what our children need to get them through the school day.

"We will use the information gathered in this trial to see whether the provision of free meals is having a positive impact both in schools and in the home.

"We will then be in a position to say how and when many more children in Scotland will be able to benefit from the free, healthy and nutritious lunches currently enjoyed by children in Fife."

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