# Scotland’s free schoolbag scheme to cost £1.35 million annually

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/made-in-china-and-paid-for-by-taxpayers-snps-schoolbag-giveaway-plan-to-cost-1-35million-a-year/
- Published: 2026-10-26T19:14:54+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T19:32:58+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16240385/Made-China-taxpayers-SNPs-schoolbag-giveaway-plan.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Asia, Elections, Politics, World

## Key points

- Free schoolbags for new Scottish primary pupils will cost £1.35 million annually.
- About 47,000 children are expected to receive a bag next August.
- The government says the bags will be assembled in Scotland.

## Summary

The Scottish Government says its plan to give every child starting primary one a free schoolbag will cost £1.35 million a year. The initiative is a flagship SNP election commitment, intended to help children begin school on an equal footing, but has drawn criticism from the Scottish Conservatives, who call it a gimmick and argue the money should support education more directly.

Around 47,000 pupils are expected to receive bags next August, in one of five colours and containing items such as pencils, crayons, a notebook, a water bottle and books. Edinburgh-based APS Group has won a two-year contract covering the contents, storage, packing, distribution and staffing; the government says the bags will be assembled in Scotland, while the article reports they will be made in China. The packs will also include information for families on social security entitlements and online safety.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.