Gilruth’s ‘deep regret’ on failure to give all primary pupils free school meals

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has spoken of her “deep regret” that the Scottish Government has been unable to meet a commitment to provide free school meals to all primary school pupils.

Ms Gilruth came under fire from both Labour and Tory MSPs on Holyrood’s Education Committee over the failure to meet the commitment which was made by the SNP in the run-up to the 2021 Holyrood elections.

However, she insisted this policy “remains an aspiration and commitment” , despite telling MSPs it is “unaffordable in the remainder of this parliamentary session”, and therefore will not be delivered in advance of the 2026 Scottish Parliament vote.

She spoke out as MSPs on the committee approved regulations which will speed up the process of expanding free school meals to youngsters in P6 and P7 whose families receive the Scottish Child Payment.

The regulations will allow for better data sharing between Social Security Scotland, which pays the benefit, and councils.

MSPs heard the expansion of free school meals could see up to 25,000 more youngsters benefit – meaning about 84% of primary pupils could be eligible for a free meal at lunchtime.

But Labour education spokesperson Pam Duncan-Glancy said there was “no doubt” many people “will be disappointed” the Government has failed to meet its manifesto commitment to provide all primary children with free school meals.

She told the Education Secretary: “The committee are being asked today to accept the Government has failed to meet that commitment, instead to give a second-best option.”

It is with deep regret from my own personal perspective as Cabinet Secretary that we have not been able to deliver on universality

Ms Gilruth told her: “I share that disappointment.”

She added: “It is with deep regret from my own personal perspective as Cabinet Secretary that we have not been able to deliver on universality.

“It remains an aspiration and commitment of this Government.”

Despite this, the Education Secretary said she was “pleased” ministers are “making progress” by rolling out free school meals to youngsters whose families receive the Scottish Child Payment.

As well as free school meals being made available to all P6 and P7 pupils whose families get this, S1 to S3 pupils in eight council areas will also get free school meals if their families get the Scottish Child Payment.

But Ms Duncan-Glancy noted the Scottish Government had received “the largest settlement for the Scottish Government since devolution” for 2025-26.

Pressing the Education Secretary on when all primary children would receive free school meals, the Labour MSP added: “People watching will be wondering if not now, in that circumstance, when?”

Committee convener Douglas Ross also pressed Ms Gilruth on when universal free school meals would be provided, in line with the SNP’s manifesto commitment

“Can you not just tell us when you will deliver universal free school meals,” the Conservative said.

He recalled how a motion from his party, calling on the Scottish Government to expand free school meals to all primary pupils was passed by Holyrood in September last year.

That came after John Swinney’s first programme of government as First Minister rolled back on the commitment – with Children’s Commissioner Nicola Killean at the time condemning this as a “broken promise to children”.

Ms Gilruth said she would be “more than happy to engage with political parties on how we get to the delivery of universality” – but she made clear that “it is not going to be in this Parliamentary term, because of the costs associated with that rollout”.

Modelling from 18 months ago had found rolling out free school meals to all primary pupils would cost the Scottish Government £256 million, Ms Gilruth said

And she added: “If anything, the £256 million figure has increased because of inflationary pressures.”

Ms Gilruth added: “Building kitchens, for example is now much more expensive than it was three years ago.”

She also said other costs on the Scottish Government, such as public sector pay deals, had “affected the budget I have had to manage and what we have been able to pay for”.