The future passage of the National Care Service Bill in its current form has been cast in doubt, as the Holyrood committee leading its scrutiny requests more information on the implications of its withdrawal.

Convener of Holyrood’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Clare Haughey MSP, has asked the Minister for Social Care how long it would take to withdraw the current Bill and prepare a new, updated version.

In her letter to Maree Todd MSP, Ms Haughey says the committee wishes to compare timelines for the different ways legislation might now progress in light of ‘significant changes’ now proposed to the creation and delivery of a National Care Service (NCS).

Ms Haughey has requested information on the anticipated timeline for a scenario where amendments that reflect the consensus agreement on shared legal accountability are brought forward at stage 2.

The Minister has been given until the 10th of January 2024 to respond.

The health committee is expected to finish its stage 1 scrutiny of the Bill and publish a report prior to parliament’s first debate on the NCS, which is to take place before the end of January.

Significant changes proposed to the Bill since it was originally published in June 2022 has, according to the committee, impeded its ability to full scrutinise its contents.

A letter sent to the committee earlier this month confirmed the minister will look to bring forward a series of amendments at stage 2 to reflect new legal accountability arrangements, the scrapping of care boards and details on a National Board.

Together, these amendments will likely 'substantively' cut development costs of the new service.

The committee is now asking for clarity on how long the amendment process at stage 2 will take, compared to scrapping the Bill and starting again with one that fully reflects the proposed changes.

Read more: Questions for “fundamentally changed” NCS; Millions less needed to deliver NCS; Editorial: 2024 offers a fresh start for the NCS

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