Scottish Labour has called on the Scottish Government to ensure that funding is not diverted from existing education services in order to implement the policy of free school meals.

Labour has lodged a reasoned amendment as the Scottish parliament votes today on an order which will give councils the freedom not to charge for school meals.

Scottish Labour's Children and Early Years spokesperson, Karen Whitefield, said:

"Labour is not against providing more free school meals for children in primary schools, but we are against councils being forced to cut other education services in order to pay for this policy.

"I visited a well established breakfast club at St Dominic's Primary School in Airdrie this morning to highlight the important contribution they make to children's learning experience.

"We are calling for the SNP government to guarantee that funding will not be diverted from vital services like breakfast clubs to pay for their free school meals policy."

27 November 2008