Motion text
That this House recognises the important role that healthy, nutritious meals play in supporting a child’s education and the need to ensure that these meals continue to be available to children throughout the covid-19 pandemic; asserts that access to free school meal provision is an essential tool in tackling the attainment gap and supporting children’s learning; notes that many children do not grow up in environments conducive to covid-19 lockdown learning, with overcrowded accommodation, limited access to the internet and other resources, and a lack of access to nutritious food, impacting on their ability to concentrate and learn effectively; welcomes the recent announcement by the Scottish Government that, from August 2022, Scotland will be the first nation in the UK to provide free school meals to all children in primary schools and is committed to using its limited powers to tackle the scourge of child poverty, with measures such as the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment, described by the Scottish Child Poverty Action Group as a game-changer in tackling child poverty; realises that while the provision of free school meals is an important tool in tackling child hunger, it must be part of a wider plan to tackle child poverty, to ensure that every child is able to realise their full potential; and calls on the UK Government to publish a Child Poverty Action Plan to finally combat the shameful fact that around 30 per cent of children in the UK live in poverty.
Signatures (23)
The first 6 Members who have signed to support the motion are the sponsors. The primary sponsor is generally the person who tabled the motion and has responsibility for it. The date shown is when the Member signed the motion.
Gibson, Patricia
Scottish National Party
Signed on
20 January 2021
Webbe, Claudia
Independent
Signed on
21 January 2021
Bonnar, Steven
Scottish National Party
Signed on
21 January 2021
Smith, Alyn
Scottish National Party
Signed on
21 January 2021
Dorans, Allan
Scottish National Party
Signed on
21 January 2021
Stephens, Chris
Scottish National Party
Signed on
21 January 2021
In addition to the sponsors, the following Members have signed to support the motion.
Chapman, Douglas
Scottish National Party
Signed on
21 January 2021
Brown, Alan
Scottish National Party
Signed on
21 January 2021
Williams, Hywel
Plaid Cymru
Signed on
22 January 2021
Lake, Ben
Plaid Cymru
Signed on
22 January 2021
Saville Roberts, Liz
Plaid Cymru
Signed on
22 January 2021
Law, Chris
Scottish National Party
Signed on
25 January 2021
Hill, Mike
Labour
Signed on
25 January 2021
Hanvey, Neale
Scottish National Party
Signed on
25 January 2021
Thewliss, Alison
Scottish National Party
Signed on
25 January 2021
McDonnell, John
Labour
Signed on
27 January 2021
Thompson, Owen
Scottish National Party
Signed on
28 January 2021
McDonald, Stewart Malcolm
Scottish National Party
Signed on
28 January 2021
Gray, Neil
Scottish National Party
Signed on
28 January 2021
Fellows, Marion
Scottish National Party
Signed on
28 January 2021
Whitford, Dr Philippa
Scottish National Party
Signed on
28 January 2021
Grady, Patrick
Scottish National Party
Signed on
24 February 2021
Russell-Moyle, Lloyd
Labour
Signed on
11 May 2021
There are no withdrawn signatures for this motion.