One in five primary one to three pupils in Perth and Kinross are not taking up the option of a free school meal. In Dundee and Angus the take up is even weaker with only, 71% and 72% respectively registering for state provided lunches.
Amid much fanfare the Scottish Government launched their programme to provide free school meals to primaries one to three back in 2014. Murdo Fraser believes that low uptake, particularly in more deprived areas, proves that this policy is not tackling the serious issue of attainment and malnourishment.
The then First Minister Alex Salmond said when launching the policy that, "It will remove any possibility of free meals being a source of stigma during the first years of a child's schooling.” And Nicola Sturgeon said as recently as September that the provision of free school meals is “one of the flagship policies of this government” and was part of ministers’ commitment to tackling inequality.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“Free school meals remains one of the Scottish Government’s flagship policies to tackle both the attainment gap and poor diet in school age children.
“However, these figures from Perth and Kinross where one in five children are not taking up the option of a free meal would indicate that this policy is not bearing the rewards that was hoped for.
“In historically more deprived areas the take up would appear to be less than in Perth and Kinross where 79% of primaries one to three are enjoying free school meals.
“It is important that the Government directs resources to where they can be most effective and I am yet to be convinced that blanket provision of free school meals will increase attainment or reduce inequality. I believe a more targeted approach to improving the attainment gap and inequality is required.”