Letter from the Convener to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, 23 December 2021
I am writing further to your appearance before the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 21 December to give evidence as part of the Committee’s scrutiny of the 2022-23 Budget.
During the meeting, you gave a commitment to provide clarification in writing of the total funding allocation within the Budget for social care.
Whereas the Budget documents make reference at certain points to “investment of over £1.6 billion in social care and integration”, the figure allocated to social care for 2022-23 in Health Budget Level 3 plans is £1.1 billion. We would appreciate the detail on the reasoning on why these two figures differ following on from the explanation as you outlined in the meeting, and clarification of the total funding figure.
At a later point in proceedings, you also gave a commitment to provide further detail in writing on evaluation of the impact of social prescribing as a mechanism for encouraging greater participation in sport and active living.
I would be grateful for any further detail you are able to provide on these two specific points and, to fit with the timetable for ongoing consideration and adoption of the 2022-23 Budget, I would request that you respond to the Committee no later than Friday, 21 January 2022.