Free school meals for P 1, 2 and 3

Arran’s MSP Kenneth Gibson sends us news that the Scottish Government has decided to provide healthy school meals to all pupils in Primaries 1, 2 and 3, free of charge. This will save families at least £330 a year for each child. The £114 million package for young people will be in place for two years, beginning in January 2015, and on Arran, 129 children are eligible.

In August this year, the Scottish Government also introduced free childcare provision for every two year-old from a workless household in Scotland. As a result, around 8,400 children have benefited. In August 2015 free childcare provision will be extended further, reaching 15,400 children – 27% of all two-year-olds in families that receive benefits such as Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Mr Gibson said:

‘I was pleased to vote for the rollout of healthy free school meals to all children in Primaries 1 to 3 and a significant expansion of childcare provision. It means that every Arran child in P1-P3 is guaranteed a nutritious, healthy meal. Not just that, it removes the perceived stigma from the 20% of children who are already entitled to free school meals.’