Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:59 pm on 15 December 2020.

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Photo of Adam Price Adam Price Plaid Cymru 1:59, 15 December 2020

First Minister, as you are aware, the Scottish Government has recently committed to universal free school meals for all primary school children. In 1943, Finland introduced a law clearly requiring free school meals to be served to all children, a policy that is in place still today. And as the Finnish experience has shown—we've modelled much of our education system on them, and actually this commitment is right at the heart of the model, because it's food education in schools, it's a holistic tool that they use to deliver far-reaching benefits beyond the school canteen. Figures from the Child Poverty Action Group show that over 70,000 children living below the poverty line in Wales are not currently eligible for free school meals. To right this wrong, a Plaid Cymru Government would raise the eligibility threshold so that children in every household in receipt of universal credit would receive free school meals, and we'd set a clear timetable to extend free-school-meal provision to every pupil, on the Finnish model, beginning with universal free school meals for infants. First Minister, would you support this endeavour?