Findlay to target working groups in call for ‘talking shops’ to be axed

Russell Findlay will target the Scottish Government’s use of working groups in a speech on Wednesday, branding them “talking shops” and calling on John Swinney to reduce them.

The Scottish Conservative leader will say there are almost 300 working groups, and claims “the SNP state has expanded rapidly”.

In his speech in Edinburgh, he will set out areas of bureaucracy he feels can be cut to provide a more efficient government.

The Scottish Conservative leader, who was elected at the end of September, will question the value of “more public servants, more working groups and more government agencies”.

Mr Findlay will say: “The SNP state has expanded rapidly yet declined in delivery. It sucks up record sums of cash without doing better for families, workers and businesses. Taxpayers pay for more but get less.

“As the size of the SNP state keeps growing, Holyrood becomes increasingly detached from people’s real-world concerns. The public feels the Scottish parliament and government are not doing what they should.

“This cannot continue. Change must happen. Things must be done differently or the public services that we all need will stay on life support, only getting worse.

“A clean break is needed. No more going along with the same old nonsense.”

He will add: “John Swinney must change the habits of a lifetime in politics and start delivering better value for taxpayers.”

Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee is leading the government’s drive for reform in the public sector and took part in a summit on the issue on Monday.

He has said he wants to learn from good practice and ensure there is “systemic change”.