Campaigners show concerns over plans to cut back free school dinners

8th January 2010, 3:38pm

Campaigners and unions have unveiled their 'deep concerns' over plans to cut back free school dinners, according to reports.

The Scottish Government said councils could target less fortunate areas and use the savings to cut the sizes of classes. But the Church of Scotland and the Child Poverty Action Group are disappointed with this proposal and have written to the cabinet secretary Michael Russell and Cosla president Pat Watters.

In the letter it said: "The roll-out of free school meals to all primary 1,2 and 3 pupils is an important way in which government in Scotland can help relieve those pressures, at the same time as ensuring all young children get a healthy meal in the middle of the school day.

"Means-testing too often fails to deliver to the poorest and targeting is too often not an efficient way of helping the neediest."

Critics have described the idea as an ideal opportunity to spend taxpayers' money on free dinners for kids from wealthy backgrounds, said The BBC.

Meanwhile former education secretary Fiona Hyslop has criticised some councils for being too slow on cutting class sizes in the early stages of primary school. 

Some councils said they didn't have the funds to cut class sizes and others said they had better things to spend their money on.

Related Articles:

• 27 Aug 2010 - Pupils who get free school meals miss out on best schools, say Barnardo's
• 09 Dec 2009 - Another 500,000 children eligible for free school meals
• 28 Aug 2009 - One in five families miss out on free school meals
• 11 Aug 2009 - More pupils now eligible for free school meals
• 15 Jul 2009 - Free school meals requests are increasing

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