Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Question reference: S6W-23955

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter of 21 November 2023 from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, whether the in-year budget changes set out in the letter will impact the delivery of its commitment to spend 10% of frontline NHS spend on mental health services.

The majority of spending on mental health is delivered through NHS board budgets, and this is not directly affected by the in-year budget changes impacting on the direct mental health programme budget. Between the Scottish Government and NHS boards we expect spending on Mental Health to be well in excess of £1.3 billion in financial year 2023-24.

We are working with partners towards delivery of the commitment to increase spending on mental health services to 10% of the total frontline NHS budget by the end of this Parliamentary session in 2026. We will continue to work with NHS Boards to monitor delivery through the Scottish Health Service Costs Book and the process of setting and monitoring priorities in Annual Delivery Plans.

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Question reference: S6W-23955

Answer