The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee is undertaking budget scrutiny for 2026-27.

In recent years, in line with the recommendations of the Budget Process Review Group (BPRG) report, Scottish Parliament subject committees have undertaken pre-budget scrutiny, in advance of the publication of the Scottish budget. The intention is that committees will use pre-budget reports to influence the formulation of spending proposals while they are still in development.

In order to facilitate this, committees are required to publish pre-budget reports (or letters) at least six weeks prior to the Scottish budget. The date of the Scottish budget has not yet been confirmed but is normally in December.

Timings, however, have sometimes been different in recent years due to the timing of UK elections and the Covid-19 pandemic. For now, the working assumption is that pre-budget reports/letters will be required to be published by the end of October.

Pre-budget scrutiny 2026-27: Prioritisation of the mental health budget

The Committee is seeking stakeholders' views on current levels of mental health spending including preventative spend, priorities for mental health spending and how decisions on mental health spending are made.

In 2023-24, spending on mental health services totalled £1.5 billion, equivalent to 9% of total NHS expenditure.

Public Health Scotland has set out a classification of preventative activities, describing activities as primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

Read the classification of preventative activities

The Scottish Government has set out its priorities for mental health services in its Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This strategy identifies the following priorities for investment:

• CAMHS and psychological therapies
• Addressing waiting times backlogs
• An extension of support for distress
• Ongoing implementation of our Suicide Prevention Strategy
• Delivering improved community-based mental health and wellbeing support for children, young people and adults.