About the Inquiry
At the start of the session, the Committee agreed to adopt a full year budgeting approach, building an element of budget scrutiny into all aspects of its work, as detailed in its 2nd report, 2016 (Session 5) Health and Social Care Integration Budgets.
The Committee has sought to remove the direct link between the Scottish Government’s draft budget and its budget scrutiny with a view to using evidence gathered throughout the year to influence the content of future draft budgets and the relative priorities given to the health elements.
This approach is demonstrated in the work that the Committee has conducted in relation to Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs). The Committee’s review of the budget setting process for HSCPs in 2016-17 not only sought to assess the approach taken to date but focused on identifying and recommending changes to the budget setting process for future years. As such, the Committee’s approach has been forward-looking rather than a one-off exercise at a single point in the year. The Committee is currently building on that work to reflect on the 2017-18 budget setting and, again, look forward to 2018-19.
In previous years, Committee budget reports have been prepared following the Draft Budget. The Committee took a different approach last year, publishing a report following its inquiry into HSCP budgets on 30 November 2016, in advance of the Draft Budget. Given that there is likely to be limited time following the budget publication in future years, the Committee has agreed again to prepare its main budget report in advance of the budget publication. This will relate to the wider health and sport budget, of which the integration authority budgets would form a part. In taking this approach, the budget report will not be commenting on budget allocations, but will seek to inform budget decisions in advance of these allocations being announced.
Timetable
Formal Evidence
The Committee took formal oral evidence from a variety of stakeholders on 12 September and 19 September.
Evidence
On Thursday 15 June 2017 the Committee issued a call for views. The call for views ran until 26 July 2017.
Read the Call for Views
Read the written submissions
Report
On 12 December 2017 the Scottish Government responded to the Committee's Report.
Following a further evidence session on 9 January 2018 the Committee wrote to the Cabinet Secretary, Shona Robison on 18 January 2018.
On 8 February 2018 the Cabinet Secretary responded to our letter of 18 January.