Scottish Government loses votes over free school meals and restoring peak fares

The Scottish Government has been defeated in two votes at Holyrood, following debates on scrapping universal free school meals for primary pupils and reintroducing peak fares on ScotRail.

The SNP was outnumbered by opposition parties when both issues were put to a vote on Wednesday.

The Tory motion calling on the Government to expand free school meals to all primary pupils passed with 64 votes in favour, two against and 60 abstentions.

Just afterwards, another Conservative motion, calling on the Government to reverse its decision to reintroduce peak fares on ScotRail, passed with 64 votes in favour and 62 against.

However, the votes are not expected to change the Scottish Government’s policy on either issue.

Ministers in John Swinney’s Government said they cannot go ahead with a commitment for universal free school meals for primary pupils due to financial pressures.

The £40 million scheme to scrap peak rail fares was dropped as the Government said it had not increased train travel by as much as hoped.

The change on school meals was made last week in the programme for government.

In a debate on the issue brought by the Scottish Conservatives, the party’s education spokesman, Liam Kerr, said the decision will “set back” the Government’s drive to eradicate child poverty.

“By axing the universal rollout of free school meals in primary schools, the SNP have shamefully betrayed Scotland’s poorest pupils,” he said.

“They have abandoned any pretence that they know how to eradicate the attainment gap and/or child poverty, and they have played fast and loose with the trust that the people of Scotland invested in them.”

Responding to Mr Kerr, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the Government does not disagree with him, but that her amendment seeks to “provide the necessary financial context” to the decision.

Her changes to the motion from Mr Kerr blamed the “austerity agenda” of the previous Conservative and current Labour UK Governments, adding that the universal rollout would cost £256 million.

“But I understand the deep disappointment that universal rollout to primaries six and seven has been delayed and, frankly, I share that disappointment,” she said.

The Education Secretary went on to say she will “listen to and engage” with the opposition in the debate.

Ms Gilruth’s amendment to the Conservative motion was ultimately voted down by 64 votes to 62.

Meanwhile, Labour’s education spokeswoman, Pam Duncan-Glancy, accused the Government of being a “barrier to opportunity”, adding that “people are sick of being promised stuff they don’t get”.

Ross Greer, the Scottish Greens education spokesman, said the cut is “not inevitable” and there are a “range of ways” the Scottish Government could save money in-year.

The Green MSP suggested freezing spending on trunk roads and motorways, as well as “scaling back tax breaks on shooting estates”.

In the debate on peak rail fares, Tory transport spokesman Graham Simpson called on the government to reverse its decision.

He said ScotRail is offering an “unreliable service and now it’s more expensive”.

A peak-time ticket between Edinburgh and Glasgow will soon become nearly double the price it was at the start of this year, he said.

Mr Simpson continued: “If your policy is to get more people on to the roads, then this is genius.”

Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop responded, saying the scrapping of peak rail fares had led to an extra four million rail journeys taking place.

She said: “This is in the context of around five billion annual private car journeys in Scotland and represents a reduction of less than 0.1% of car-based carbon emissions.”

Evidence suggests the pilot benefited those of above-average income, she said.

Ms Hyslop added: “I wanted the pilot to succeed and I am disappointed it has not, but the moderate increase in passenger levels, while welcome, was significantly below the 10% increase needed to make the scheme self-financing.”

Discounts are available on ScotRail season tickets which can save commuters money, she said.

Scottish Labour’s Alex Rowley said the Government’s target of cutting car kilometres by 20% in 2030 was now looking “pie in the sky”.

He said: “Inspiring modal shift means targeting those that are driving and giving them reason to change their mode of transport.

“That must mean making rail more accessible, affordable and reliable.”