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Free meals on the menu for Scots tots
11/07/2007
Thousands of Scotland's youngest pupils will be tucking into free healthy meals after being chosen for pioneering trials.
Primary one to three pupils in the Borders, East Ayrshire, Fife, Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire will have access to free nutritious meals during the six month scheme.
The £5 million trial will target some of the country's most vulnerable children and are part of the government's commitment to improving Scotland's health and encouraging good eating habits from a young age.
Speaking at a visit to Drumlanrig St Cuthbert's Primary in Hawick today, Minister for Schools and Skills Maureen Watt said:
"We want all of Scotland's people to be healthier and developing the best eating habits from an early age is central to moving that forward.
"This is about more than school meals. It's part of our wider aim to improve the nation's health and increase the quality of life for families and communities.
"The pilots will show us the impact universal free school meals have on children's health as we shape our policy on improving nutrition, as well as how schools cope with implementing them.
"All children within the age groups will get the chance to sit down and eat with friends every day to develop a taste for healthier foods together.
"We hope these good lifestyle habits will stay with them as they grow up. Early intervention is a hallmark of our approach to young people and this is just the start of our work to make children healthier."
Trials will be undertaken at schools across the Borders, East Ayrshire, Fife, Glasgow and West Dunbartonshire from October until March next year. Ministers will closely evaluate the pilots for evidence on:
- Health benefits for pupils
- Eating habits - in school and at home
- Pupils' views on school meals
- Practical issues for schools - kitchen/ dining hall capacity
- Development of social skills
Scottish pupils already benefit from free fruit in primary one and two but the trial means more healthy food will be available for the children who need it most.
Approximate costs for each six-month scheme are:
- Borders - £592,000
- East Ayrshire - £500,000
- Fife - £1,700,000
- Glasgow - £1,300,000
- West Dunbartonshire - £450,000