THE STUC has told the Scottish government to immediately offer free school meals to every pupil in Scotland.

The congress’s women’s committee made the demand today in a letter to Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

Co-signed by unions, MSPs, charities and youth organisations, it says the government must urgently tackle the issue of food poverty in schools and warns that many are being left behind.

Schools in Scotland returned this week, with all pupils in Primary 1 to Primary 4 now entitled to free school meals. 

Pupils in Primary 5, 6, and 7 must wait until 2022 to be included, while secondary-school pupils and nurseries have been omitted entirely.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “Whilst the Scottish government have made some welcome advancements on free school meals policy in Scotland, it does not stretch far enough. 

“Hunger, food insecurity, poverty and stigma know no age boundaries, and action on poverty and inequality cannot be further delayed.”

She cited figures gathered by the Poverty and Inequality Commission which show that 60 per cent of working-age adults in Scotland live in poverty and that 65 per cent of children in poverty are living in a household where someone is in employment. 

“The momentum, the resources and the capacity to deliver universal free school meals to all is evident,” Ms Foyer said.

“What is missing is the will from the Scottish government to be bold and take action on committing to the implementation of this progressive policy.”

A Scottish government spokeswoman said ministers are committed to expanding free school meals to all pupils in primary and special schools during the next parliament, as well as introducing free year-round breakfast and lunch provision alongside pilots of universal meal provision in secondary schools.