Expansion of free school meals to eight local authorities including South Lanarkshire
Gillian Mackay MSP has expressed pride in having helped secure the expansion of free school meals for more high school pupils in South Lanarkshire
From August free school meals will be extended to pupils in S1 to S3 whose families receive the Scottish Child Payment.
This pilot programme was secured by Scottish Green MSPs, including Ms Mackay who is based in Lanarkshire, during recent budget negotiations with the Scottish Government.
South Lanarkshire was selected as one of eight areas to pilot the expansion, alongside Aberdeen, Glasgow, Fife, Moray, North Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Shetland and the Western Isles.
Scottish Green MSPs previously helped secure the expansion of universal free school meals to P4 and P5 pupils, as well as the ongoing expansion to P6 and P7 pupils who receive the Scottish Child Payment. The party also recently helped wipe out the school meal debts which had been built up by struggling families across Scotland following the pandemic.
Ms Mackay said: 'This will be a huge boost for young people and their families across South Lanarkshire. No child should ever be too hungry to learn, but that is the reality for many pupils across Scotland.
"Free school meals make a real difference to young people's health, wellbeing and their ability to focus in the classroom.
'I'm proud that the Scottish Greens secured this recent expansion, building on what we've already done for children in P4 to P7 and our cancellation of school meal debts.
'There is no age limit to hunger, which is why the Scottish Greens will keep working until every pupil from early years right up to S6 in South Lanarkshire receives a free school meal.
'No child should go hungry in a country as rich as ours. By providing thousands more pupils with free school meals, we will tackle child hunger and invest in the future of our young people."
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