THE Ministry of Labour and Social Security says it has written to the Ministry of Finance requesting the return of approximately $533 million in unspent Solidarity Programme funds after the money was reverted to the Consolidated Fund at the end of the financial year.

The disclosure came Thursday in a press release as the ministry sought to clarify figures and defend the administration of the Government’s $1-billion Solidarity Programme following intense criticism during Wednesday’s sitting of Parliament’s Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC).

At the centre of the controversy was the revelation that only $230.4 million (approximately 23 per cent) had been disbursed under the programme nearly a year after it was launched to assist vulnerable Jamaicans.

During the meeting, legislators repeatedly referenced roughly $770 million in unspent funds, with several members questioning how such a large sum could remain unused while struggling Jamaicans continued appealing for assistance.

Acting permanent secretary in the ministry Dion Jennings also indicated during the sitting that the unspent balance had been returned at the end of the financial year in keeping with fiscal rules governing public expenditure.

However, in its release the ministry said of the original approximately $1-billion allocation, $230.4 million was disbursed directly to beneficiaries under the programme, while another $236.2 million was reallocated to the Rehabilitation and Social Pension Fund and used to provide grants and assistance to vulnerable persons.

That left approximately $533 million which, the ministry explained, had to be returned to the Consolidated Fund because the financial year expired before it could be spent.

The figures mean that while lawmakers broadly referred to roughly $770 million remaining unused during Wednesday’s PAAC meeting, the ministry is now distinguishing between the portion redirected to other welfare-related assistance programmes and the portion formally returned to the Consolidated Fund.

The Solidarity Programme was introduced in June 2025 as a special social intervention aimed at assisting elderly persons, low-income informal workers, persons with disabilities, medically vulnerable individuals and unemployed young adults between 18 and 35 who were not enrolled in school or training programmes.

According to figures presented to the PAAC, the programme received more than 18,000 applications, with 11,521 people ultimately approved for payment.

The ministry also noted that not all approved beneficiaries had yet collected their payments and pointed out that the payment period has been extended until June 30, 2026 to facilitate outstanding collections.

The ministry maintained that it remains focused on completing outstanding reconciliation and payment activities while continuing to support vulnerable Jamaicans through its wider network of social programmes.