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Further extension to National Care Service Bill timeline

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 17th April 2023
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The Scottish Government have asked the Scottish Parliament to agree to extend the Stage 1 process beyond June.

Maree Todd MSP, the newly appointed Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, has written a letter to the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport committee outlining the Scottish Government’s intention to further extend the timescale for the National Care Service Bill.

The bill had initially been expected to complete Stage 1 of the parliamentary process by the end of March, but a previous extension had moved that deadline to the end of June. The government are now seeking the Scottish Parliament’s approval to further extend the deadline, though they have not yet confirmed an precise timescale.

According to the letter, the Scottish Government intend on using the additional time to continue engagement and co-design activities through summer. This will include ongoing meetings with COSLA and trade unions, and a series of “regional forums” offering the opportunity for ministers and officials to hear from people with lived experience of social care services.

At Stage 1, the Scottish Parliament considers the general principles of the bill. The relevant committee, or committees, hear evidence on the bill and produce final reports for the wider Parliament and the Scottish Government to consider. After this, Stage 1 is concluded by a vote of the whole parliament. You can find out more about how the the process of passing laws at the Scottish Parliament works in this ALLIANCE explainer video.

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