No guarantee has been given that universal free school meals will be delivered in secondary schools within the next three years.

Humza Yousaf, First Minister, was asked to commit to a timescale of the pilot to provide free meals to secondary pupils before the next Scottish election in 2026.

He said he was committed to the roll-out and added an “appropriate timescale” was under consideration.

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Labour MSP, Monica Lennon, challenged him over a delay in extending the free meal policy to children in primary six and seven and on when the pilot for secondary schools would begin.

Glasgow Times:

She said Scotland was once leading the UK on the issue but has now fallen behind.

The MSP said: “Under Nicola Sturgeon, the P6 and 7 expansion was delayed and last year’s announcement to pilot provision in secondary schools has amounted to nothing.”

She added: “Instead of prioritising hungry children, Government approached Cosla at the start of this month to broker further delays.

“Astonishingly councils are now being warned the full roll-out in primary schools may not happen within this parliament.”

Lennon asked for a guarantee when the roll-out would happen.

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She said: “Children are going hungry today and they cannot wait until 2026, so will the Scottish Government keep its promise to Scotland’s children and can the First Minister guarantee that the roll-out will be delivered by the end of this parliament?”

The First Minister defended the Scottish Government’s record on free school meals but did not provide any specific timescale for the next phases of the roll-out.

Yousaf said it was “not true” that Scotland was falling behind the UK and said he would like to see the evidence for the claim.

He said: “I can give a commitment to Monica Lennon and all those who are interested that we are absolutely committed to the roll-out of universal free school meals in primary schools and, as we have set out previously, the next phase will be to all primary sixes and sevens in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, that’s the next phase of that universal expansion.

“We’re also committed to delivering the pilot on universal free school meals in secondary schools and we will work closely with our delivery partners and of course local authorities on our expansion programme which includes considering the appropriate timescale for roll-out.”