National Care Service (Scotland) Bill
The Bill establishes the National Care Service.
The Bill allows Scottish Ministers to transfer social care responsibility from local authorities to a new, national service. This could include adult and children’s services, as well as areas such as justice social work. Scottish Ministers will also be able to transfer healthcare functions from the NHS to the National Care Service.
The Bill is at Stage 2
Contents
Stage 1 - General principles
Committees examine the Bill and gather views. They produce reports before MSPs debate the Bill in the Chamber. MSPs then decide on the purpose (“general principles”) of the Bill.
The Bill ended Stage 1 on 29 February 2024
Committee Examination
The lead committee for this Bill is the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Find out more about this committee
The lead committee published its stage 1 report on 22 February 2024.
The stage 1 debate took place on 29 February 2024.
Submit your views
The Call for Views closed on 2 September 2022.
Detailed submissions were made through our survey.
Read the summary of responses (300KB, pdf) posted 03 November 2022
Brief comments on the Bill could be made on our engagement website.
Read the summary of digital engagement (1MB, pdf) posted 03 November 2022
Timetable
The timetable that the committee followed while examining the Bill at Stage 1
On 5 October 2022, Parliament agreed motion S6M-06200, that consideration of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be completed by 17 March 2023.
On 8 March 2023, Parliament agreed motion S6M-08151, that consideration of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be extended to 30 June 2023.
On 7 June 2023, Parliament agreed motion S6M-09362, that consideration of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be extended to 31 January 2024.
On 17 January 2024, Parliament agreed motion S6M-11888, that consideration of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 be extended to 1 March 2024.
Who spoke to the lead committee in the Parliament
MSPs met with people in committee meetings to discuss what the Bill will do.
Minutes of 28 June 2022 (in private)
Minutes of 6 September 2022 (in private)
Minutes of 4 October 2022 (in private)
Minutes of 25 October 2022
Minutes of 1 November 2022
Minutes of 8 November 2022
Minutes of 15 November 2022
Minutes of 22 November 2022
Minutes of 29 November 2022
Minutes of 5 December 2022
Minutes of 13 December 2022
Minutes of 20 December 2022
Minutes of 28 February 2023 (in private)
Minutes of 7 March 2023 (in private)
Minutes of 9 May 2023
Minutes of 3 October 2023
Minutes of 24 October 2023
Minutes of 31 October 2023
Minutes of 7 November 2023 (in private)
Minutes of 12 December 2023 (in private)
Minutes of 16 January 2024 (in private)
Minutes of 23 January 2024 (in private)
Minutes of 30 January 2024 (in private)
Minutes of 6 February 2024 (in private)
Minutes of 20 February 2024 (in private)
Meeting on 25 October 2022
Engagement
The Committee commissioned research into international models of social care.
Read the summary of findings (140KB, pdf) posted 10 May 2023
Read the comparisons of funding systems in different models (134KB, pdf) posted 10 May 2023
Read the comparisons of the key features of different models (168KB, pdf) posted 10 May 2023
Read the full report (796KB, pdf) posted 10 May 2023
Correspondence
Committee correspondence sent and received while the Bill progressed through Parliament
National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Stage 1 report full response
Letter from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport to the HSCS Convener concerning the Stage 1 report of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill, 28 March 2024
National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum - Letter of 20 March 2024
Letter from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport to the Convener of 20 March 2024
National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Financial Memorandum - Letter of 12 March 2024
Letter from the Convener to the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport of 12 March 2024
Work by other committees
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Evidence session on 10 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 17 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Evidence session on 9 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 16 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 23 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 7 December 2022
Meeting on 14 December 2022
Report published on 19 December 2022
Criminal Justice Committee
Meeting on 21 September 2022
Meeting on 9 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 23 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 21 December 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 25 January 2023
Meeting on 8 February 2023
Report sent to the lead committee on 10 February 2023
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting on 4 October 2022
Evidence session on 8 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 15 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 22 November 2022
Evidence session on 29 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 13 December 2022
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
Meeting on 1 November 2022
Meeting on 29 November 2022
Evidence session on 10 January 2023 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 24 January 2023
Meeting on 31 January 2023
Report published on 3 February 2023
Finance and Public Administration Committee
Scrutiny of Financial Memorandum
Evidence session on 25 October 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 1 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 8 November 2022 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 15 November 2022
Meeting on 29 November 2022
Report on the Financial Memorandum published on 1 December 2022
Evidence session on 26 September 2023 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 23 January 2024 (Read the Official Report)
Evidence session on 25 January 2024 (Read the Official Report)
Meeting on 30 January 2024
Committee report
The lead committee published its stage 1 report on 22 February 2024.
Stage 1 report on the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill
The committee received the following response to its report on 28 February 2024.
Letter from the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport
Referral back to lead committee
On 28 February 2024, Parliament debated whether the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill be referred back to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee for a further report on the general principles of the Bill.
Read the minutes of proceedings (214KB, pdf) posted 28 February 2024
MSPs voted against referring the Bill back to the lead committee.
Debate
MSPs debate the purpose (“general principles”) of the Bill.
Meeting on 29 February 2024
Read the minutes of proceedings (161KB, pdf) posted 29 February 2024
Vote
MSPs vote on the general principles of the Bill.
Meeting on 29 February 2024
National Care Service (Scotland) Bill: Financial Resolution
- Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party.
- Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
- Motion reference: S6M-12093
- Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, 29 February 2024
Result 63 for, 51 against, 1 abstained, 14 did not vote Vote Passed
National Care Service (Scotland) Bill
- Submitted by: Maree Todd, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party.
- Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2024
- Motion reference: S6M-12331
- Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, 29 February 2024
Result 65 for, 50 against, 1 abstained, 13 did not vote Vote Passed
National Care Service (Scotland) Bill (Referral Back to Lead Committee at Stage 1)
- Submitted by: Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton, Scottish Labour.
- Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2024
- Motion reference: S6M-12317
- Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Result 52 for, 64 against, 0 abstained, 13 did not vote Vote Defeated