Responding to the Ministerial Statement on the Scottish Budget 2025-26 by Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP – Dr Lindsey MacDonald, Chief Executive of Magic Breakfast said:
“The announcement of Bright Start Breakfasts is a strong marker that the Scottish Government understands the message that Magic Breakfast and its supporters have been saying for a number of years – breakfast can’t wait.
“I welcome comments earlier this week from Cabinet Secretary Jenny Gilruth. She described school breakfasts, like the thousands Magic Breakfast deliver every day, as ‘a crucial part of the Scottish Government’s key mission to eradicate child poverty’.
“Whilst £3 million is a welcome investment, there is still a long way to go before young Scots are free from the risk of morning hunger. Delivering school breakfasts is proven to improve classroom environments, reduce absence, and improve educational outcomes.
“The Scottish Government must now work with schools, councils, and third sector partners to deliver a test and learn programme that exemplifies the place based approach we know works, and informs a national rollout. Schools must be empowered to deliver multiple models of breakfast provision, including clubs, grab and go and classroom provision, that work for their school community and remove barriers and stigma for pupils.
“We also urge the Scottish Government to understand the vital need for breakfast provision beyond mainstream primary schools. The Government’s 2021 commitment was to all pupils in both primary and special school settings, so Bright Start Breakfasts should match these criteria. The full commitment was also national, next year’s Scottish Budget must deliver the £27 million annual investment needed to see that enacted.
“This is, of course, a draft budget. The parliament, one of minorities, is still required to agree the budget through the legislative process early next year. While negotiation is inevitable, it is vital that all parties commit to the funding for school breakfasts to remain in the final budget.
“As well as the commitment to Bright Start Breakfasts, we welcome, alongside others in the third sector, the long-awaited promise of mitigation of the two-child benefit cap. We do however acknowledge the very real concerns that there is no in year funding to deliver this mitigation to families who are facing hardship today. We urge the UK and Scottish Governments to work together swiftly to make this policy a reality for Scotland’s most vulnerable communities.
“The Scottish Government’s continuation of policies aimed at tackling child poverty is welcome as we move ever closer to the legally binding 2030 targets. This includes the whole family wellbeing fund and the school clothing grant. We welcome the extension of the fund to support free school meal debt, a policy we joined Aberlour and other organisations in calling for earlier this month. We also join them in being disheartened that the Scottish Government have recommitted to not yet extending universal free school lunches to primary 6 and 7.
“Overall, this is a budget that marks a step change with the past, where the Scottish Government repeatedly promised action on breakfast provision and failed to deliver. Bright Start Breakfasts is just that, a bright start. For a bright future this policy must be the first step on the road to full implementation of universal, free school breakfast provision in Scotland.”
