Rennie calls for clarity on possible further delay to free school meals

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has written to the Finance Secretary, Shona Robison, asking for clarity about whether the Scottish Government will delay the rollout of free school meals to fund the recent pay deal for council workers.

Last week, unions suspended planned strike action by waste workers after the Scottish Government found an extra £77.5 million to fund an enhanced pay deal for staff.

Commenting on the deal, Finance Secretary Shona Robison said that the government “will have to move money from elsewhere in the budget and reduce funding for other programmes.”

While it has not been confirmed what these other programmes are, it could mean that SNP ministers break their 2021 manifesto promise to roll out free school meals for all primary school pupils. There are already concerns that this pledge could be delayed until late 2026.

Mr Rennie’s letter to Ms Robison is as follows:

Dear Shona,

I am writing to you regarding concerns about how the Scottish Government intends to fund the recent pay offer that was made to council workers earlier this month.

As you have already indicated, the money required to fund this offer will come from the Scottish Government’s existing budget, which will lead to a reduction in spending in other portfolios.  In a letter to your fellow cabinet ministers, you also stated that: “Any activity undertaken or commitment made that generates expenditure in 2024/25 must only proceed if it is truly essential and unavoidable.”

As I am sure you can appreciate, there are concerns about what exactly you mean by “truly essential and unavoidable,” and what spending areas you intend to cut or halt. I understand that last week you refused to rule out the expansion of free school meals to all primary school children as one such area.

The expansion of free school meals to all primary school pupils was a manifesto pledge made by your party in 2021. Since then, Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf and now John Swinney have all promised to honour this pledge, but it has still not been delivered.

In these circumstances, can you confirm whether you will delay the expansion of free school meals to fund the pay offer to council workers? If that is the case, can you set out how long you now expect this expansion to be delayed by?

Yours sincerely,

Willie Rennie

MSP for North East Fife