Question ... 'I notice that the free school meal debate is mentioned. With that in mind would you support UK farmers growing crops and livestock breeding so that it creates employment and food products for schools, hospitals etc. The amount of subsidies that the EU pay farmers for set aside fields are adding to the taxation across the country. Surely a better use would to provide food products so that the younger generations are assured one healthy meal a day'

Neil said ... 'We would support a complete overhaul of the food production system. Right now food is being produced and sold in the interests of profit - primarily the supermarkets and what we would call agri-business, that is the multi-nationals who dominate the food industry. Small farmers are being driven to the wall because the supermarkets dictate the prices that they buy produce from the farmers and are driving down those costs - although not passing those onto the consumer but pocketing the extra in profit. Tesco for example made £2.6. billion in profit last year. We support these companies being brought into public ownership to end the domination of a human necessity, food, by big business. Clearly, the other key issue is the quality of food. Very few people would deny the fact that high fat, high sugar and high salt foods are being mass produced, packaged and promoted by the multi-nationals which is having a devastating effect of the health, especially of children. Tommy Sheridan was the first MSP to table a bill in parliament for Free School Meals. But we have always been clear that a healthy meal was crucial if this policy was going to lead to an improvement in heath and diet.' [Report Post]

Question ... 'Is offering free school meals truly an economically viable campaign promise? How will those of you who have pledged it, going about achieving it?'

Neil said ... 'Let’s be fair about funding, if several Billion Pounds can be found to fund an illegal war in Iraq and the involvement is Afghanistan then it should take too much to find the relatively small amounts of money to finance this worth while project. There is currently a project in selected areas affording this to children of Primary 1 to 3 age groups and while I see this as progression I will vigorously campaign that all Primary and Secondary children should be afforded this facility. Secondly I can recall from my own school days that children can often be cruel to their peers and regularly children are stigmatised or bullied because they are in receipt of free school meals as a result of means testing their parents. Some times a hot school meal is the only opportunity for a child to receive a nutritious meal in the day and to stigmatise or cause embarrassment to the child so that the child abstains from the meal to avoid being harassed and bullied is in my opinion unforgivable. There are all sorts of bulling and harassment policies in life today, yet we allow this behaviour towards our children is disrespectful. So lets ask the question again DO I FAVOUR FUNDING ILEGGAL WARS, OR WOULD I PREFER TO PROVIDE FREE SCHOOL MEALS TO ALL CHILDREN WHO WISH ONE? Difficult to choose, or perhaps not, I leave it with you. ' [Report Post]

Question ... 'Wow, these policies seem great. How can i get involved in helping with the campaign?'

Neil said ... 'Thank you for your interest in Solidarity - Scotland’s Socialist Movement. You can contact me or the Dundee branch by e mail at dundeesolidarity@yahoo.co.uk where your support and help will gratefully be appreciated. More information is also available on the website link in my profile. Like many other like minded Socialists in the Lochee ward your points have been echoed from many individuals I have spoken to when I have been visiting houses in the last few weeks. Many are disappointed that there political believes are being undermined by the current agreements by the various parties in an attempt to score points against each other with a result of a dilution of there socialist beliefs and have already committed to supporting Solidarity in the forth coming by-election. I hope to meet with you shortly and once again thanks for your offer of assistance. I would appreciate your number 1 vote on November 22. ' [Report Post]