Families 'facing holiday poverty'

Feeding children is an 'unbearable burden' for many poor families living on the breadline

Scotland's poorest families are plunged deeper into poverty at school holiday time and some parents struggle to feed their children, it has been claimed.

Nearly 140,000 pupils get free school dinners, which for many is their main and most nutritious meal of the day.

But parents have to find extra cash to provide lunches at home during the school holidays.

The children's charity Barnardo's said it was an "unbearable financial burden" for many on the breadline.

Campaigners say the holidays cost a family with three children about an extra £25 per week.

The Scottish Executive has made huge inroads into defeating poverty Margaret Curran MSP Communities Minister

They claim school holiday food poverty is hitting children's health and have called on ministers to act.

Experts say it would cost more than £12m per year to provide parents with benefits equivalent to the value of the free meals their children are missing during the 13 weeks annual school breaks.

Ministers highlighted official figures earlier this year which suggested more than 200,000 children in Scotland have been taken out of absolute poverty over the past six years.

Communities Minister Margaret Curran said the statistics showed that the Scottish Executive had made "huge inroads into defeating poverty".