Eastwood MSP, Jackson Carlaw has expressed concerns in relation to reports of sub-standard food packages being delivered to families in East Renfrewshire who are eligible to receive free school meals during the period that schools have been closed.
Mr Carlaw has received correspondence highlighting that some families have been sent inadequate food packages and the issue has also been raised on social and online media.
The Eastwood MSP has today written to East Renfrewshire Council's Chief Executive requesting that the local authority seek to urgently move towards a system of issuing supermarket vouchers to families so that parents can themselves purchase nutritious food their children enjoy and to prevent any further instances of disappointing food packages being received.
Jackson Carlaw MSP for Eastwood said:
"Given the nature of the recent correspondence I have received and from what has also emerged on social and online media, I am extremely concerned that vulnerable families in East Renfrewshire may not always be receiving adequate food provision to support them at this extremely challenging time.
"For me, a system of issuing weekly vouchers does seem to be the right approach going forward and as Eastwood’s MSP, I am calling on the council to make this change without delay.
"It is important that we all learn from experience and to recognise that the quality of food parcels has proved to be inconsistent and vastly inferior to the flexibility of vouchers to parents who can then make decisions appropriate to their family needs."
Notes To Editors:
Letter to Chief Executive attached.
Cover Note to Chief Executive copied below:
From: Carlaw J (Jackson), MSP <[email protected]>
Sent: 14 January 2021 16:10
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Subject: Free School Meals Substitute Provision in East Renfrewshire
Dear Lorraine,
Please see the attached letter regarding concerns that have been raised about food packages sent to families who qualify for free school meals in East Renfrewshire.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Jackson
Jackson Carlaw CBE MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament for Eastwood
F: @Jackson4Eastwood
T: @Jackson_Carlaw
W: www.jacksoncarlaw.org.uk
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