The cost of providing free school meals for five to seven-year-olds could leave council chiefs with "stark choices" in their budgets, MSPs heard today.

The cost of providing free school meals for five to seven-year-olds could leave council chiefs with "stark choices" in their budgets, MSPs heard today.

But councils gave a broad welcome to the scheme in evidence to Holyrood's education committee today and confirmed they are committed to implementing it from 2010.

The initiative, announced by education secretary Fiona Hyslop last month, prompted local government body Cosla to call for talks over funding pressures brought on by the economic downturn.

Albert Henderson, head of schools at Inverclyde Council, told the committee today that fresh financial pressures mean there will have to be a "re-alignment" of its budget to find the £368,000 for the scheme.

"If you were converting that into teaching staff, then we're talking about ten teaching staff, so we may be faced with stark choices," he said.

Labour's Ken Macintosh questioned whether the universal application of free school meals will be a priority in these circumstances.

"We would welcome universal free school meal coverage," Mr Henderson added.

"But given the financial climate just now and given the socio-economic climate in Inverclyde, then we would probably prefer at this stage to do it on some kind of targeted basis and be allowed to be flexible with the rest of the money in terms of the budget."

East Ayrshire Council took part in the trial of the scheme and Councillor Robin Gourlay said today there was local disappointment when it came to end.

"Uptake increased by 15% and, on the year to date, we were up by 5% - so with the pilot ending we lost about 10%," he said. "But it shows that the service was a good one and it was welcome."

Councillor Kirsty West of Aberdeen City Council said it "ideally" wanted to introduce free school breakfasts and lunches for five to seven-year-olds, subject to money being available.

Lynn Mirley of Scottish Borders Council, which also took part in the trial, said that £400,000 had been allocated in the budget for free school meals.

A Scottish Government spokesman said that councils are feeling the impact of rising electricity and gas bills.

He added: "Cosla and the councils themselves have confirmed, however, that the Scottish Government has provided the funding for free school meals as part of the local government settlement."