School Meals Vote Benefits 10,000 Pupils

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani has welcomed the vote in the Scottish Parliament which will allow free school meals to be extended to over 10,000 pupils in the South Lanarkshire area from 2010.

The legislation to extend free school meals to all P1 to P3 children passed on Thursday, November 27^th, despite all opposition parties’ initially failing to support the proposals.

Speaking after the vote the Strathaven MSP said;

“I am very pleased that additional pupils will benefit from free school meals as a result of this vote and it is excellent news for the young children of East Kilbride and their families.

“10,000 children in towns all across South Lanarkshire will now benefit from free school meals and by putting our children first we should begin to see improvements in their long term health.

“This is an important step not just in improving our children’s nutritional intake but in challenging the poverty that leads to a poor diet and ill health.

“As the pilot schemes showed, free school meals are popular and successful with children, parents and teachers. This decision is an excellent step forward for Scotland’s school pupils.”