‘Ghost workers’ a sign of Government’s ‘total disregard for taxpayers’ money’
The Sunday Times reported that almost 800 staff in the public sector were waiting to be redeployed.
Reports of almost 800 so-called “ghost workers” in Scotland’s public sector shows the Government’s “total disregard for taxpayers’ money”, the Scottish Tories have said.
The Sunday Times said 794 people were waiting to be redeployed to a different role and do not currently have a specific job – with one person in the NHS waiting 17 years to be moved – costing the taxpayer more than £27 million a year.
Staff generally carry out ad hoc work while waiting to be redeployed.
Critics have suggested the Scottish Government’s ban on compulsory redundancies has led to the situation.
Scottish Tory public service reform spokesman Murdo Fraser said: “The hundreds of ghost workers being employed in Scotland’s public sector is the latest appalling example of the SNP’s total disregard for taxpayers’ money.
“John Swinney and his ministers have allowed the costs of Scotland’s public sector to spiral out of control, and they are not serious about reining them in.
“Taxpayers’ should never be footing the bill to pay the salaries of people whose jobs no longer even exist. This sums up the madness of the SNP’s no-compulsory-redundancies policy, which they should ditch immediately.
“Swinney should be looking at making redundancy mandatory if alternative roles are not available for people to move into.”
He added: “We’ve already called for the auditor general to independently investigate this scandal, and it is time for Swinney to come clean on this situation and why he is happy to harm our public services by squandering so much taxpayers’ money on paying these individuals.”
Of the £27.6 million annual cost, £21.8 million is directly funded by the Government, which the Scottish Tories say could pay for 584 junior doctors on a starting salary of £37,316.
“Hard-pressed Scots would much rather their money was funding the salaries of frontline staff like junior doctors to help our NHS which is in permanent crisis mode, rather than funding ghost workers,” Mr Fraser said.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said: “Our policy for no compulsory redundancies is clear.
“Public bodies are expected to ensure that they deliver value for money and to see that all staff, including those who are redeployed, are engaged in appropriate work for their pay scale.
“For example, the NHS has clear redeployment policies that helps boards to make use of staff with experience and expertise, even while their posts may change.”