FUNDING for milk and healthy snacks for pre-school kids is being effectively slashed by Nats ministers, we can reveal.
A real-terms cut — buried in last week’s SNP Budget — comes despite First Minister John Swinney boasting of “eradicating child poverty”.
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The Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme has now been held at £12.5million for four years, despite increasing demand.
And taking inflation into account, it is the equivalent of a cut of around £1.3million.
Scottish Labour children’s spokesman Martin Whitfield said that already cash-strapped councils are being further squeezed.
He said: “Every child deserves healthy and nutritious food, but local authorities are being asked to provide more with less.
The SNP has pledged to tackle child poverty yet this decision risks pricing the poorest children out of a healthy start to their day.”
The amount available to pay for one carton of milk and a piece of fruit has remained static at 58.2p since April 2022.
But council chiefs have warned that actual prices for providing these essentials has rocketed.
The programme, which began in August 2021, replaced a UK Nursery Milk Scheme.
The Scottish Government said it was going further by providing fruit or a vegetable portion, and a non-dairy alternative for kids who cannot drink cow milk.
In October, a Scottish Government report recorded that 140,834 children were registered with the scheme as of April — an increase of 25,000 since August 2021.
The Association of Directors of Education highlighted “inflationary pressures” on the 58.2p flat rate.
It also questioned a 175-day funding assumption, noting some childcare centres open between 190 and 220 days per year.
LibDem Willie Rennie said: “We have been clear that this budget must properly support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
The Tories’ Roz McCall said: “The SNP squanders millions on wasteful projects but axes funding for worthwhile schemes like this.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our Budget invests in public services, lifts children out of poverty, acts in the face of the climate emergency, and supports jobs and economic growth.
“Since 2021 our Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (SMHSS) has been providing milk or a non-dairy alternative and a portion of fruit or vegetables in day care settings to help young children establish good nutrition before starting school, reinforcing our ambition to improve health outcomes for children and young people.”
“We are firmly committed to improving children’s health and wellbeing.
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“That’s why we are working with local government to expand free school meals provision for Primary 6 and 7 children in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment.
“This will help thousands more children access nutritious and healthy food. This is part of our wider mission to eradicate child poverty in Scotland.”
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