Local MSP Jackie Baillie has criticised the SNP Government for their "fruitless" attempt to improve the healthy eating options of primary school children after they announced they were pulling out of a free fruit scheme for school children.

Free fruit for primary school children was one of a number of pledges that the SNP made to the Scottish public prior to the Scottish Parliamentary election in 2007.

Jackie believes the decision to cut the free fruit scheme is the latest in a long line of broken promises from the SNP.

She said:

"The SNP have treated the free fruit scheme as nothing more than a gimmick.

"At the end of the day it is our school children who'll miss out on the health benefits of this scheme which helps youngsters get their 'five a day'.

"Ministers applied for the EU funding available for free fruit provision but they have failed to come up with their side of the bargain and now they've pulled out. Instead of putting our children first, they'd rather pick a fight with Westminster.

"This is yet another broken pledge by a government that continues to let down parents and pupils."