This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-25632402
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Free school meals for young primary pupils in Scotland | Free school meals for young primary pupils in Scotland |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Free school meals are likely to be provided to all children in the first three years at Scottish primary schools. | Free school meals are likely to be provided to all children in the first three years at Scottish primary schools. |
| The move, expected to be announced by Scottish ministers, matches a plan being introduced in England. | |
| First Minister Alex Salmond has promised a large increase in childcare in the event of independence. | First Minister Alex Salmond has promised a large increase in childcare in the event of independence. |
| But he has been under pressure from critics who say he could implement improvements now. | But he has been under pressure from critics who say he could implement improvements now. |
| It is thought Mr Salmond will respond to that by outlining changes during a debate on Scotland's future at Holyrood on Tuesday. | |
| But he will argue strongly that a transformation in childcare is only possible under independence when the additional tax take from working parents stays in Scotland instead of going to the UK Treasury. | But he will argue strongly that a transformation in childcare is only possible under independence when the additional tax take from working parents stays in Scotland instead of going to the UK Treasury. |
| From September, pupils in the first three years of school in England will have the offer of a free cooked lunch. | From September, pupils in the first three years of school in England will have the offer of a free cooked lunch. |
| It is expected that Scottish ministers will follow suit, partly by using extra money going to Scotland, through the Barnett Formula, as a consequence of the English plan. | |
| Universal approach | |
| The Scottish government has previously pledged to work towards expanding free school meal provision. | |
| After the plans for England were announced by Deputy First Minister Nick Clegg last September, a group of 11 unions, churches and children's organisations in Scotland wrote to Scottish ministers urging them to make a similar commitment. | |
| They claimed progress on the issue of free school meals had been "limited" and even "scaled back" by some councils. | |
| John Dickie, head of the Child Poverty Action Group, told BBC Radio Scotland an announcement on school meals was "long overdue". | |
| Speaking on the Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: "The pressures on families and their ability to support their children are extraordinary, so providing a free school lunch to children in primary one to primary three is a very immediate, direct and well-evidenced way of supporting families at a time of increasing pressures." | |
| He said taking a universal, rather than means-tested, approach to free school meals would also help increase take-up among pupils. | |
| "There are currently issues of stigma for the children and issues of stigma in terms of the additional processes parents have to go through to claim those healthy lunches," he said. | |
| "There is also the issue of not having your peers around you taking a healthy school lunch. | |
| "Introducing a universal approach works to increase take-up amongst those already entitled, as well as ensuring that those who are currently excluded by means testing, but are still living in very low income families, also get a healthy school lunch." | |
| You can watch the entire Scotland's Future debate, live or later on demand, from around 2.20pm at BBC Scotland's Democracy Live website. |