CAMPAIGNERS are calling on ministers to extend free meals to all pupils in Scotland during the first three years of school.
The Scottish Government has been under pressure to do so after Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, announced in September that all five, six and seven-year-olds in England would be entitled to free school lunches from next autumn.
As well as saving parents hundreds of pounds a year, campaigners claim pupils' concentration and school work improves if they eat at least one nutritious meal a day.
In a submission to Holyrood's health and sport committee ahead of a meeting tomorrow, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: "Research shows that, across Scotland, children's educational outcomes are still strongly linked to deprivation.
"For this reason, we urge the Scottish Government to ensure children from poorer families are given better opportunity to thrive at school."
The document added it was "a matter of real concern and disappointment" that plans announced by the Scottish Government in 2010 to introduce free meals to all pupils in the first three years of school had not been carried out.
John Dickie, head of CPAG in Scotland, and Maggie Kelly, representing One Parent Families Scotland, are among those due to give evidence at the committee which is investigating child poverty in Scotland.
A Scottish Government spokesman said the number of eligible children registered for free school meals had increased by 19,000 since 2007.
"We are committed to expanding free school meal provision further, but have been focusing on maintaining eligibility to free school meals under the UK Government's programme for welfare reform," he added.
"We have not been informed of any consequential funding resulting from the UK Government's announcement and have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury for clarification of what will be provided as an addition to the current Scottish Government budget."
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