Scottish Tories to hold debate on ‘wasteful spending’ at Holyrood

The Scottish Conservatives are to hold a vote in Parliament over “wasteful spending and economic ineptitude” from the Scottish Government.

A debate is to scrutinise spending by the SNP-Greens coalition Government after it emerged around 17,000 positions in the public sector workforce could be cut under spending plans unveiled last week.

Public services such as early years learning, universities, courts, police and fire and rescue services will see their budgets frozen for the next five years to increase spending elsewhere.

Wednesday’s debate will see the Tories highlighting costly issues such as the ferries scandal, Rangers prosecutions and the continued state ownership of Prestwick Airport.

The party will also criticise the Scottish Government for earmarking £20 million for a second independence referendum, which First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said will be held before the end of 2023.

Liz Smith, finance spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “The responsibility for this shocking hole in the public finances is the SNP’s, and its alone.

“As usual, ministers will try to blame Westminster, but the reality is they have just received the biggest block grant ever from the UK Government.

“The SNP has squandered a fortune on failed public spending initiatives – most notably the ferries fiasco – and now the Scottish people are set to pay for that economic incompetence.

“The savage £1 billion cut to public services means real-terms spending reductions for the entire justice system, early-years learning and universities and even to NHS and social care – along with a predicted loss of 17,000 public sector jobs.

“That will act as a hammer blow to our essential services, as well as being personally devastating for those who lose their jobs.

“Scotland is already the highest taxed part of the UK and, with the SNP freezing income tax thresholds, around a quarter of a million extra workers will be dragged into the higher rate band in the coming years.

“What will anger them further is that the SNP has still found £20 million to fritter on pushing for another divisive independence referendum that the majority of Scots don’t want.”