John Swinney urged to drop plans for National Care Service as Holyrood returns

First Minister John Swinney has been urged to drop plans for a National Care Service (NCS) as MSPs prepare to return to Holyrood.

The Scottish Government has introduced plans that would see adult social care brought under the responsibility of ministers.

While the Bill has passed its first parliamentary hurdle, it has been criticised for the proposed process of “co-design”, which would see ministers decide on the details of the service through secondary legislation after a framework Bill has been passed.

The Government has also been criticised by Holyrood’s Finance and Public Administration Committee over a lack of detailed costings in the Bill’s financial memorandum.

In February, the committee said it was “not confident” in how much the service would cost the taxpayer and called on the Government to bring forward more detail before the second stage of the Bill.

Speaking ahead of MSPs returning to Holyrood next week, Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton reiterated his party’s calls for the NCS to be scrapped.

“As a new parliamentary term starts, the First Minister needs to turn over a new leaf and abandon his plans for a a ministerial takeover of social care services,” he said.

“For too long an attitude of SNP ministers know best has blighted the management of public services.

“The lengthy, drawn out and delayed parliamentary process of this Bill has exposed that it is completely unfit for purpose.

“It would do nothing to tackle core problems and ease pressures. Instead it would wrench away control of services from communities.

“Care organisations, unions and local authorities have all united to condemn the Bill.

“The financial memorandum is in disarray, with SNP Finance Committee members even having suggested that the sums don’t add up.”

Money earmarked for the NCS, he added, should be “invested in improving conditions for staff and enhancing services instead”.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “We need to fundamentally transform the way social care is delivered in Scotland.

“People who receive support through social care, their families and communities must be involved in planning and delivery at local level. But the system needs to work and people have told us, clearly, that it does not provide the high standard of care that people should rightfully expect.

“The National Care Service will ensure greater transparency in the delivery of care, with greater accountability at national and local level, whilst strengthening the role of the workforce and providing enhanced support for unpaid carers.

“We are committed to establishing a National Care Service Board that delivers clear, consistent national care standards by the end of this parliamentary term.”