Speaking in response to the First Minister’s statement on the publication of the 2024-25 Programme for Government: Serving Scotland, Dr Lindsey MacDonald – Chief Executive of Magic Breakfast – said:
“When the First Minister quoted Hamish Henderson’s Freedom Come All Ye whilst accepting the nomination of the Scottish Parliament, I cannot imagine that today’s Programme for Government is what he was hoping for. Far from a manifesto on the eradication of child poverty, this plan will struggle to make a significant dent in the child poverty crisis that Scotland faces.
Despite being the minister who announced it, John Swinney is now the third First Minister in a row to exclude the Scottish National Party’s commitment to universal breakfast provision from their Programme for Government. This commitment, one that would deliver for child poverty, for educational attainment, and for economic recovery, has been ignored for too long.
Alongside more than 100 organisations, Magic Breakfast signed the Poverty Alliance’s open letter to the First Minister calling on him to put poverty relief at the forefront of this Programme for Government’s agenda. Whilst I acknowledge the First Minister’s statement about the budget he is forced to work within, now is the time to wield the full powers of devolution in favour of Scotland’s children and young people.
Of course, Magic Breakfast welcomes investment in making Scotland a fairer place to be born. The investment and reform in pregnancy and early life support is vital to ensuring child poverty is tackled from day one. The First Minister’s commitment to reducing the attainment gap is also positive, if not unfamiliar to those who have heard previous Scottish Government programmes. The First Minister must understand that attainment boosting policies like school breakfasts should be at the forefront of this commitment.
Our attention must now turn to the budget in December which seems set to be one of the toughest in the devolution era. This will be the Scottish Government’s final major chance to deliver a lasting legacy for young Scots who are at risk of going to school too hungry to learn. Promises need to become policies, breakfast can’t wait. With the newly elected UK Government promising to deliver breakfast in English schools and the Welsh Government already delivering in their schools, Scotland cannot afford to be left behind. The Scottish Government must direct any and all consequentials from the UK Government’s breakfast policies to deliver for children and young people at risk of hunger in Scotland.
Over the coming months Magic Breakfast will consider what more we can do in our charitable endeavours to support young Scots where the Scottish Government are choosing not to. We remain committed to working in partnership and developing new partnerships with schools, Scotland’s 32 local authorities, and the Scottish Government to deliver on what I’m sure is a shared mission of ensuring no child or young person is too hungry to learn.”
For more on Magic Breakfast’s policy and public affairs work please contact advoacy@magicbreakfast.com
To speak to use about partnerships in Scotland please contact LAScotland@magicbreakfast.com
