Findlay vows to set up Scots version of US Department of Government Efficiency

Russell Findlay has pledged to set up his own version of the US Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) as he said the Scottish state had become “supersized”.

The Scottish Conservative leader said the Scottish version of the US department, headed by billionaire Elon Musk, would be tasked with “cutting waste, identifying savings and delivering better value for taxpayers”.

At a speech in Edinburgh, he also vowed to cut the Scottish Government’s working groups, which the party said number almost 300, by a third to focus on frontline delivery.

Mr Findlay said his changes would “make public services efficient, affordable and effective”.

He said the 550,000 public sector workers in Scotland are at their highest since devolution began, with Scotland’s public bodies spending some £1.3 billion yearly on backroom corporate function and that policy officers and managers are costing the Scottish Government £75 million.

Mr Findlay said: “During the devolution era, Labour and the SNP have increased the number and the reach of public sector agencies.

“These left-wing parties embarked on deliberate mission creep.

“They have supersized the Scottish state.

“And they have done so at huge financial cost to taxpayers who already pay far too much.”

He said for the Scottish Government to “sub-contract thinking and decision-making to abstract talking shops is ridiculous”, and that the “big-state circus needs to end”.

Outlining his plans, he said: “We would introduce our own version of the Department of Government Efficiency.

“A Scottish Agency of Value and Efficiency would be tasked with cutting waste, identifying savings and delivering better value for taxpayers. SAVE for Scotland.

“In addition, government by talking shop must end.

“Let’s treat service delivery with the efficiency of business — not some chin-stroking debating society.

“We would axe at least one-third of the SNP’s 300 working groups.

“Instead, frontline delivery would be our primary focus.”

Mr Findlay denied his criticism is based on “political ideology”, saying: “I don’t want to take a wrecking ball to public sector infrastructure.

“No, this is about delivering better public services and better value for taxpayers.”

The Scottish Government earlier said advisory groups “provide expertise, understanding of people’s lived experience and independent analysis on a wide range of issues that support Scottish Government priorities”.

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”.