Every primary pupil in Scotland to get year-round free meals as SNP embraces Rashford campaign

The SNP will provide free breakfasts and lunches to all primary school children in Scotland all year round if re-elected next May, Education Secretary John Swinney has pledged.

He made the commitment as he warned that Scotland was facing a "tsunami of child poverty" if UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak imposes a "second wave of austerity".

To help combat that, Mr Swinney promised free breakfasts and lunches for every primary school pupil in Scotland.

The policy would be implemented from August 2022, making Scotland the first nation in the UK to offer universal free primary school meals.

The Scottish Education Secretary said: "Just as we extended free meals through the holidays this year and next, if re-elected we will extend free school meals through every school holidays."

The promise comes as footballer Marcus Rashford continues his efforts to lobby the UK Government to extended the provision of free meals south of the border.

Mr Swinney, also Scotland's Deputy First Minister, said the coronavirus pandemic had "shown us just how little financial security some families have".

He spoke about the plight of "families not entitled to many benefits, families in work", saying that "they are already hard pressed and Tory austerity will hit them harder".

While he said the Scottish Government had acted - citing the introduction of next year's £10 a week Scottish Child Payment to poorer families - he also said more must be done.

He told the conference that if re-elected in May the SNP would make free breakfasts and lunches available to "all primary school pupils," - stressing this would apply to "all classes, all year round".

Mr Swinney said: "That is the next step in our battle to stop the Tories forcing more and more kids into poverty."

While children already receive free school meals in P1 through to P3 he said: "We will not leave a child at the mercy of a Tory Chancellor just because they are in P4, P5, P6 or P7.

"If elected next May, from 2022 we will extend universal free school lunches to all primary school pupils, P1 to P7."

He continued: "We want every child to have every chance to learn every minute of every school day, starting from the moment they arrive in class.

"A child arriving at school hungry cannot learn as well as they should. So, we will also extend free provision of a healthy breakfast to all primary school pupils as well.

"Breakfast and lunch for every pupil every school day. But another lesson of 2020 is term-time isn't enough. Hunger doesn't take a holiday and so neither can we.

"Just as we extended free meals through the holidays this year and next, if re-elected we will extend free school meals through every school holidays."

The Scottish Consevatives had already pledged to extend school meals, if they win May's election, and had backed Rashford's campaign.

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, said: "I made providing free school lunches and breakfasts to all primary school pupils a key part of the Scottish Conservative schools policy I announced back in September, so I am pleased John Swinney has signalled he will follow our lead on this.

"But there is no need to wait two more years.  We can deliver this now, so our young people get the benefit as soon as possible.  "As the SNP are now supportive of our policy, there is no reason why this can’t pass through the Scottish Parliament as the priority it clearly is."