Ivan McKee
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“We understand that the SPSO assesses complaints to identify how they should be prioritised. The SPSO prioritises cases where a complainant is vulnerable or the matter is assessed as urgent and ongoing. The SPSO keeps people who are affected by delays informed. In 2024-25, the SPSO reduced the number of open cases by 15 per cent.”
“As part of our programme of public service reform, we are embedding openness, transparency and accountability into how services are designed, delivered and improved. Our next open Government action plan will set out an anti-corruption strategy and plans for improving public participation in decision making.”
“Will he agree to meet me and other members from across the chamber to discuss how we might work together to provide legal support for the Nolan principle of integrity in public life? Ivan McKee: I am very happy to meet the member to discuss that further. Such issues are hugely important to the Government.”
“How bad does the situation have to get before a full investigation is made? Ivan McKee: That would be a matter for the Parliament, not the Government. As an organisation, the ombudsman rightly sits separate from the Government.”
“More than £300 million has been saved through more efficient procurement in the past two years and we are projecting savings of more than £50 million through the rationalisation of estates—13 core Scottish Government buildings have been closed in the past three years and there are more to follow.”
“I am delighted to open this afternoon’s debate on public service reform, which I believe will be the defining task of this session of Parliament.”
The complete record
Every one of 658 lines we hold for Ivan McKee, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 14.
“Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government is listening to all interested parties, industry sectors and others as we collect information, analyse the data that is required and make the decisions for the budget for 2026-27, which, as I indicated, will be presented to Parliament on 13 January next year.”
“The 2026-27 Scottish budget will be published and presented to Parliament on 13 January 2026. Further details will be available at that stage. Carol Mochan: Retailers are often the largest employers of young people in our communities, yet more high street shops in my region are closing, or choosing not to open, because of high business rates, and that trend is contributing to our growing youth unemployment. Our current rates put us at a disadvantage compared with other parts of the United Kingdom. What will the Scottish Government do to provide relief to get our local economies moving?”
“On any individual case, it is for the planning authority to satisfy itself as to the accuracy of any information that is provided in support of an application and to decide how much weight to give to any particular material consideration when deciding on the application.”
“Does the Scottish Government agree that it should adopt best practice by analysing and verifying job creation claims before approval and after farms are established to ensure that there is transparency and accuracy in decision making? Ivan McKee: The salmon farming sector and its wider supply chain are an important employer in Scotland, particularly in our coastal and island communities. An independent report on the sector’s economic impact, which was commissioned by Salmon Scotland and published last month, showed that Scotland’s salmon farming sector supports 10,850 jobs in Scotland and contributed £953 million gross value added to the national economy in 2024.”
“Planning authorities may monitor developments to consider whether they have been carried out in line with approved plans and conditions, which must have a planning purpose. They can also take enforcement action where appropriate. However, it is not the role of the planning system to monitor the number of jobs that are created as a consequence of any grant of planning permission. Planning decisions are made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Decision makers identify the considerations that are, in planning terms, material to the determination of the application. Ariane Burgess: Recent independent research indicated that job numbers in salmon farm applications may be significantly overstated, for example by applying job figures per pen even where pens will be empty on rotation.”
“As we have heard today, there is a lot going on in Cumbernauld, and there is much to celebrate in the resilience and community spirit of the people of Cumbernauld, who have worked together to ensure that it is a great place to live and work. I congratulate those in the community on their efforts, their strong sense of identity and their commitment to supporting one another, and I join with all members, I am sure, in wishing them a very happy 70th anniversary. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate. 13:30 Meeting suspended. 14:30 On resuming— Portfolio Question Time Education and Skills”
“There are many other charities and voluntary organisations offering a range of services, including the Cumbernauld wheels for wellbeing service, which helps people to access healthcare, and the Cumbernauld community mental health hub, which works to improve wellbeing and overcome health inequalities. The Cornerstone House Centre is a social enterprise that works very hard to benefit local people in a wide range of ways, whether through providing family, employability or health services, or simply by providing a place for people to gather together. I am sure that there are many other great projects and organisations that I cannot cover in such a short speech, but members have highlighted some fantastic initiatives that we would all want to commend and celebrate.”
“It provides a community food pantry, mental health support groups and employability workshops, and it brings in approximately 10,000 residents per year, reducing poverty and isolation and building stronger community cohesion. Jamie Hepburn: On that point, will the member join me in thanking the Cumbernauld and Carbrain community hub for hosting the Presiding Officer’s tour of the country to mark the 25th anniversary of the Parliament? The hub very kindly arranged the hosting of the Central Scotland leg of that tour when it was held in Cumbernauld. Ivan McKee: I am delighted to congratulate the hub on taking forward that work. It is absolutely clear that Cumbernauld is a vibrant community, with people working together to support on another.”
“Since 2014, the Scottish Government has invested more than £52 million in capital funding to support North Lanarkshire Council, in collaboration with local businesses and communities, to deliver key regeneration projects,. That has included a £4 million regeneration capital grant fund investment towards the Cumbernauld community enterprise centre, which has become a strong presence in the town centre, creating new jobs and training opportunities and stimulating further economic activity. The Scottish Government also provided more than £325 million over three years from our investing in communities fund to the Cumbernauld and Carbrain community hub. That vibrant community hub works directly with people to provide an open, welcoming and accessible place where the whole community can come together.”
“I know that North Lanarkshire Council is working hard to regenerate the town centre and to build new education, health, leisure and community facilities. Town planners and architects might like to think that new towns are their creation. Of course, they played an important role; Jamie Hepburn gave us some of the history of the events that took place prior to the building of the new town at Cumbernauld. In reality, however, it is the people who live there who are central to the town’s success. As the contributions to the debate have shown, a town is about much more than bricks and mortar—it is people who make a place feel like home. There are many inspiring examples of organisations in Cumbernauld working with and for their communities to bring people together and create a real sense of community.”
“That is a tool that is instrumental in supporting local government, businesses and communities to inform planning and investment decisions to improve Scotland’s places, and it holds some fascinating data on a number of towns across Scotland, including Cumbernauld. Towns such as Cumbernauld and their town centres play a vital role in improving people’s economic, social and environmental wellbeing. In signing up to the town centre first principle in collaboration with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and council leaders, we must put the health of town centres at the heart of decision making. Cumbernauld has a unique town centre, which was originally designed for the motor age and has been the subject of much debate. I believe that books have been written about it, and it has even been reported to attract international visitors.”
“A number of new settlements are currently being created across Scotland: Tornagrain, near Inverness; Chapelton in Aberdeenshire; Winchburgh in West Lothian; and Blindwells in East Lothian. As well as creating new communities, we continue to regenerate existing places, for example by steering development towards vacant and derelict land. There is much that our “new” new towns and regenerated places can learn from the previous generation of new towns. On the subject of our many and varied towns, I am pleased that we have helped to fund the development and refresh of Understanding Scottish Places, which launched last week.”
“Cumbernauld is one of five planned new towns that were developed across Scotland’s central belt in the post-war period. It was designated under the New Towns Act 1946 to deliver housing and support during the slum clearances from Glasgow, providing housing for the overspill as well as economic stimulus, as has been mentioned by a number of members. Many have celebrated the distinctive character and identity of Cumbernauld over the years, and it has been recognised for its sense of community and commitment to renewal. We have learned a lot from the success of our new towns, not least about the benefits of a clear vision and the need for the public sector and delivery partners to drive forward development. Our places are ever changing. We are still working on the delivery of new homes and communities, and we continue to build at scale.”
“I am delighted to take this opportunity to give my congratulations to the people of Cumbernauld on this important milestone in the town’s history, the 70th anniversary of its designation as a new town. I thank Jamie Hepburn for securing this afternoon’s debate. Everyone knows the passion that he exhibits for the town of Cumbernauld, and I have been delighted to be his guest in the town on a number of occasions at various events. This has been a really interesting debate. Members have taken different perspectives on what Cumbernauld means to them and on its wider significance. This is one of those debates where we learn a number of things that we were not already aware of. Members have taken the opportunity to mention their own local towns as well.”
“We are making a range of options available to them, and they can decide on the best way to proceed based on local circumstances. Corran Narrows Crossing 6.”
“The Presiding Officer: Please answer on matters of devolved responsibility, minister. Ivan McKee: I salute Murdo Fraser for being a trier, if nothing else. The Government listens to and engages with the industry on an on-going, regular and thorough basis. As a responsible Government, we listen to concerns and make changes to legislation when that is in the best interests of all concerned, including those in business and local government. It is up to local authorities, as it should be, to take forward proposals that they believe best suit their local economies and local tourism sector, following engagement with businesses and other interested parties. It is not the Government’s role to tell local authorities how best to run that process.”
“Murdo Fraser: I welcome the dramatic U-turn from the Scottish Government to allow councils extra flexibility in future, following sustained pressure from the Scottish Conservatives and the tourism industry. In the meantime, however, councils are continuing to progress plans for a visitor levy. In Perth and Kinross, in the region that I represent, a public consultation disclosed 68 per cent opposition to a visitor levy, with just 29 per cent in favour. Given that overwhelming rejection of the notion of a visitor levy in Perth and Kinross, will the minister join me in calling on Scottish National Party and Liberal Democrat councillors on Perth and Kinross Council to ditch those plans and join Conservative councillors in calling for them to be put in the bin, where they deserve to be?”
“The Scottish Government recognises the importance of supporting Scotland’s visitor economy while enabling councils to invest in local services. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 requires local consultation with businesses before any scheme is introduced. Responding to feedback from industry and others, earlier this week, we lodged a Government-initiated question signalling our intention to introduce a bill early in the new year to provide additional flexibility, such as allowing flat- rate models as an alternative to the current percentage-based approach. If passed, the bill will further enable councils to design fair and practical schemes that protect the competitiveness of our hospitality and tourism sectors and generate revenue to support local tourism economies.”
“If the bill is not passed, those who paid rates on unoccupied properties could receive an unexpected and unjustified windfall, which would require cuts to public spending or, if that loss were compensated for in the non-domestic rates system, an increase in rates or a reduction in the generosity of reliefs in future. Accordingly, the bill is vital to protect public finances at a time when, more than ever, every penny counts. I move, That the Parliament agrees that the Non-Domestic Rates (Liability for Unoccupied Properties) (Scotland) Bill be passed. 18:03”
“Without primary legislation to make clear the position regarding empty properties, rates paid since 1 April 2023 by owners of unoccupied properties could require to be refunded, and rates might no longer be able to be collected on unoccupied properties should local authorities decide that that is required. The bill is therefore necessary to bring the statute book into line with the Parliament’s intention to devolve empty property relief to local authorities and allow local authorities to levy rates on the owners of unoccupied properties.”
“We are here to rectify a legislative error in the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020. I welcome the Parliament’s recognition of the importance of addressing the issue swiftly through agreeing to the emergency bill process, and I hope that, come decision time, members will support the bill. As we know, a technical error in the 2020 act means that amendments that were intended to devolve empty property relief did not have the intended legal effect, so we need to ensure that there is a clear legal basis for charging rates to the owners of unoccupied non-domestic properties.”
“To me, leaving it to a third party to tidy up seems irresponsible. I will, therefore, press amendment 1. The Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 1 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division. As this is the first division of stage 3, I will suspend the meeting for around five minutes to allow members to access the voting system. 17:42 Meeting suspended. 17:49 On resuming— The Presiding Officer: We move to the vote on amendment 1. Members should cast their votes now. The vote is closed.”
“Ivan McKee: Jeremy Balfour will understand that I cannot stand here and give unlimited guarantees on an issue. We cannot do that, but I can absolutely commit that we will work with councils and COSLA to make sure that we are able to support them with regard to any cost that arises as a consequence of the issue. Mr Balfour will understand that I am not in a position to give, on behalf of the Government, unlimited guarantees on that matter. I hope that he will take it in good faith that our intent is to recognise the challenges that the bill presents to councils and to support them as they work through those challenges. Jeremy Balfour: I say to the minister that I am afraid that that does not go far enough. I think that anyone who makes a mess should tidy it up. The Scottish Government made this mess.”
“Jeremy Balfour: I did not hear a guarantee from the minister. I am happy to go back and read the Official Report, but I think that what I heard from the minister was very good political spin. I heard words to the effect of, “We will work with COSLA. We are open to this idea.” However, I did not hear any form of guarantee that local authorities will be compensated, by either this Government or a future Government, if they have to bear the costs. I am happy to talk for only 10 more seconds in order to let the minister intervene. Will the minister give a guarantee that, if any local authority has extra costs because of having to do work following the bill’s enactment, they will be compensated by the Scottish Government for meeting those costs—yes or no?”
“The Government is offering its support to investigate the costs fairly and reasonably, and that is the sort of area to which it should be extending its thinking and support. Ivan McKee: Martin Whitfield makes a fair point. Such situations are in train, and we absolutely recognise that and the complications that could arise from the process that we are going through this afternoon. The Government is fully committed to working with COSLA and councils where such complications arise in order to be able to support them in resolving the matter in a way that works for everyone. Unfortunately, for the reasons that I have outlined, the Government cannot support the amendment, but I have clearly indicated to the chamber its position on the broader issue. The Presiding Officer: I call Jeremy Balfour to wind up and to press or withdraw amendment 1.”
“That, along with the budget process, represents the most appropriate vehicle for discussing challenges of that nature—to which, as I have indicated, the Government is very sympathetic—rather than primary legislation. The scope of the amendment has been far too broadly defined. We have much respect for local government, and I feel confident that it will deal with the process as effectively as possible. Martin Whitfield: I hope that COSLA can take the assurance that the minister has articulated. Does the minister appreciate the potential for unforeseen circumstances, particularly in cases where a council is currently involved in seeking payment that has not been made, and that such circumstances potentially allow for an additional argument to be made that will have to be dealt with?”
“I thank Jeremy Balfour for raising that important matter. The Government fully recognises its significance, and we are very sympathetic to the challenges that it raises for local government. We have been closely engaging with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in order to work together to resolve the matter. Members in the chamber, Jeremy Balfour and everyone else can rest assured that we will continue to work very closely with local government to recognise the challenges that it faces, to understand the implications of those challenges and to ensure that we can resolve them. We have recently agreed a fiscal framework with local government, which sets out a process for open and honest debate on financial costs and pressures.”
“After section 1 The Convener: The next group is on the liability of owners of unoccupied properties: guidance. Amendment 3, in the name of Stephen Kerr, is the only amendment in the group.”
“Paul Sweeney: I appreciate the minister’s response and the helpful conversations that he and I have had with each other and with representatives of COSLA. I recognise that the bill might not be the optimal vehicle to fix the issue, given time considerations and the need to keep the bill streamlined. Nonetheless, I am very vexed by the issue, and I am keen to find a solution to it sooner rather than later. Although I am not minded to take forward the amendments because of the complicating factors that they might introduce, I would like to see a practical solution reached—either with COSLA or, potentially, through other legislation, such as the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill— sooner rather than later. Amendment 1, by agreement, withdrawn. Amendment 2 not moved. Section 1 agreed to.”
“For the reasons that I have outlined, the Government cannot support amendments 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, in the name of Paul Sweeney, and I urge members to resist those amendments. However, I have written to COSLA today, ahead of its leaders meetings tomorrow, to encourage local authorities to take into account the challenges of putting listed buildings back into use when they are designating local relief schemes. I recognise the scenarios that Mr Sweeney describes on the unintended consequences and perverse incentives that result from the system. The Government is happy to engage with Mr Sweeney and COSLA to work through how we can deliver the results that he seeks. The Convener: I call Paul Sweeney to wind up and to press or withdraw amendment 1.”
“Empty property relief has always been devolved in full and has included listed buildings, at the request of COSLA. Councils already have the powers to deliver on the substance of Mr Sweeney’s amendments and to offer £105 million of local relief funding a year. That funding has been made available to councils to offer relief to unoccupied properties, including empty listed buildings, as councils see fit and to reflect local needs. Some local authorities take into account the challenge of putting listed buildings back into use. For instance, Argyll and Bute Council reinvests a proportion of the savings from the changes that it made to empty property relief into a grant incentivisation programme that specifically targets long-term empty, listed properties.”
“I thank Paul Sweeney for lodging the amendments. I will talk about how they do or do not fit into the bill in a minute, but first, I recognise the effort, work and focus that he has put into this issue and his commitment to and energy in lodging the amendments at short notice. The member highlights an important issue, and the Government recognises the intent behind his amendments. However, it is also important to recognise that the bill is intended to rectify a legislative error as quickly as possible and to enable the non-domestic rate system to continue to operate in the way that it has been universally understood and operated in practice since 1 April 2023. It is a short bill with a narrow focus: the sole intention is to rectify the specific issue as quickly as possible.”
“We are in the chamber today to debate stage 1 of a bill that seeks to correct a legislative error and ensure that there is a clear legal basis for local authorities to collect non-domestic rates from the owners of unoccupied properties. I welcome the Parliament’s agreement that the bill can be designated as an emergency bill, reflecting the gravity of the situation and its importance to public services and, indeed, to businesses. Ministers have sought to resolve this serious matter as quickly as possible. The bill will help us to protect public revenues, which play a fundamental role in funding the public services on which we all rely. It will prevent us from potentially having to cut £350 million of funding from our schools or our hospitals or having to increase the rates liabilities for non-domestic properties in future.”
“There are many reasons to be optimistic about Scotland’s economic performance and potential. We have a fundamentally strong and resilient economy. Since 2007, gross domestic product per person in Scotland has grown by more than 10 per cent, compared with less than 7 per cent across the UK as a whole. Productivity has grown at an average rate of 0.9 per cent per year, compared with the UK average of 0.3 per cent. We have a highly skilled population and world-class sectors in food and drink, financial services, gaming, digital technology and energy. We are second only to London and the south-east of England when it comes to attracting foreign direct investment.”
“The bill obliges future Scottish Governments to publish a community wealth building statement. The statement will set out the measures and actions that will be taken to advance community wealth building in Scotland across the pillars of the economic development model: spending and procurement; fair work and employment; assets, land and property; and new business growth and investment.”
“When I assumed responsibility for the bill, I was keen to ensure that this legislation, which aims to add value to economic policy objectives, also works as a public service reform measure. I pay tribute to Tom Arthur for the work that he has done previously on the bill and for his commitment to the principles of community wealth building. Any Government must be thoughtful when it seeks to make changes to the public sector partnership landscape through legislation. However, community wealth building’s focus on growing all forms of local businesses, creating and protecting jobs, extending greater ownership and influence to communities, and looking to attract more investment into our local economies can improve the outcomes that we achieve from economic development activity.”
“I begin by thanking the Economy and Fair Work Committee for its constructive stage 1 report on the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill. I welcome the support that the committee expressed for the general principles of the bill and the observation that it has the potential to play “a vital role in improving the lives of the people across Scotland.” The bill’s central aim is to create a new and consistent platform for local economic development in Scotland—a new format that recognises the economic agency of every pound of public money, alongside the necessity for the public sector to partner with businesses and communities in pursuit of sustainable economic growth.”
“There is no reason why a solution cannot be found outwith the confines of the legislation, and I urge the local authority to work with Airdrie Harriers to ensure the continued provision of sporting facilities in the area. I will also write to Jim Logue, the leader of North Lanarkshire Council, on the matter, and I am happy to meet the group if required, subject to my availability.”
“Ivan McKee: I am aware of the situation that the member raises with the Airdrie Harriers asset transfer request. It is deeply regrettable, and I have responded in writing to the member on the matter. The situation now is that all those who are involved, including the authority and community organisations, must follow the asset transfer legal process, and ministers have no power under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to amend or extend that process. However, the 2015 act is there to enable groups such as Airdrie Harriers to realise their aspirations for ownership of local assets. My officials have spoken to North Lanarkshire Council about that regrettable situation so that lessons are learned, and I expect the council to do everything in its power to support the group.”
“The group recently appealed the council’s decision to reject its application for a community asset transfer for the sports centre, but that was rejected as it was outwith the agreed timescales. As the minister knows, I find that situation ludicrous, because it was the council, in its official letter to the group, that, as the minister noted, outlined the timeline for appealing. I find it unacceptable that our policies in this area have no commonsense safeguards built in to account for such situations, in which honest mistakes are made and groups miss out on real opportunities. What more can the minister do to support the group, and would his officials be willing to meet me, the group and the council to try to find a way forward?”
“The Scottish Government funds the community ownership support service to provide expert asset transfer advice and support for community groups that want to make use of community asset transfer legislation. The Scottish Government also provides financial support through the Scottish land fund for communities across Scotland that wish to own and manage land, including asset transfers. Between 2021 and 2026, more than £32 million has been provided in that regard to 249 organisations. Fulton MacGregor: As the minister knows, I have written to him about the current situation of Airdrie and Coatbridge Harriers, a fantastic local group based at the Coatbridge outdoor sports centre that has supported thousands of young people across the area for more than 30 years.”
“Net zero is one of the drivers of our procurement activity. If the member wants to follow up on that, I am happy to discuss it with him, but he can rest assured that we use all the levers at our disposal, including procurement, to help us to deliver on the Scottish Government’s circular economy and net zero objectives. Community Asset Transfer Scheme 2.”
“The Scottish aggregates tax will form part of the Scottish Government’s broader support for the circular economy agenda and drive towards net zero. It will complement other measures to promote circular construction practices and is intended to help encourage the minimum necessary use of primary aggregates, maximise the use of recycled and secondary alternatives and incentivise innovation in alternative materials. Maurice Golden: Will the minister commit to utilising public procurement to support the uptake of recycled aggregates, and if so, what are his plans for that? Ivan McKee: Maurice Golden will be aware that Scotland has a very proactive approach to public sector procurement. The information that we publish on that is extensive and the tracking of performance against the Government’s objectives is thorough.”
“The Government and the public sector are working to that data and that is what will deliver headcount reductions of 4 per cent per year. That will be a reduction in total headcount of 20 per cent by the end of the five- year period. That is within the attrition rate that currently applies to the Government. University of Edinburgh (Redundancies) 3.”
“Last year, we published the corporate costs, which total £5 billion, 20 per cent of which—Mr Hoy can do the maths—is obviously £1 billion. It is very clear across which public bodies and portfolios the savings will fall, how much of the figure relates to headcount, how much of it relates to estates and how much of it relates to procurement. That is clearly articulated as 20 per cent of the £5 billion. We have published all that data, which Mr Hoy will find online if he cares to look for it. The headcount targets that have been set for portfolios for next year and each of the years after that are very clear and are dependent on the ratio of front-line staff to back-office staff in each portfolio. The corporate cost reductions are clear, and are rolled out across all the public bodies. The data is there.”
“Internal documents that were released by Mr McKee’s officials confirm that there is no “fully costed plan” to deliver £1 billion in savings, which—let us not forget—includes a 20 per cent reduction in staffing costs. Will the minister confirm whether that means that there will be a 20 per cent reduction in staff numbers over the next four years? Another memo confirms that Mr McKee does “not expect to be able to provide a full, costed plan”, and another memo insists that ministers “do not have a specific plan for each pound of savings”. Six months on from that bold £1 billion announcement, does Mr McKee actually have a plan, or is he just playing for time to get this failing Government and its fragile finances through the next election? Ivan McKee: There absolutely is a plan.”
“The number of in-house staff is also reducing. Clear targets on headcount and budgets have been set for each of the next five years. There will be real-terms reductions in the Scottish Government’s operating costs in each of the next five years, and there will be about a 4 per cent reduction in the Scottish Government’s total headcount in each of those years. That work is being done. We have control of the recruitment and budgeting processes, which are driving the savings that will allow us to redirect £1 billion to the front line. Craig Hoy: Only in the SNP’s la-la world can headcount fall while the salary bill soars. Is not the truth of the matter even worse?”
“The response to a freedom of information request that we received over the summer shows that the rise exceeds the Government’s forecasts and confirms that the cost of government has almost doubled since 2018. Is that not concrete evidence that the Government has completely lost its grip on spending? How can anyone believe that the SNP Government can run Scotland’s finances and reform Scotland’s public services when the Minister for Public Finance, who is meant to be bringing down the cost of government, cannot even control the costs of the core Government machine? Ivan McKee: As I have indicated, total headcount in the Scottish Government continues to reduce. Much of that is down to significant numbers of expensive contractors being replaced with in-house staff, which I am sure Mr Hoy will welcome.”
“In 2024-25, the number of contingent workers was reduced by more than 200, and the combined reduction across directly employed staff and contractors totalled more than 160. Those reductions in headcount will accelerate as new recruitment controls take effect, and budget controls on Scottish Government operating costs will deliver real-terms reductions in costs. Craig Hoy: Despite that bluster, it is crystal clear that a £53 million surge in the Scottish National Party Government’s operating costs in a single year—which comes at a time when front- line services are struggling and people are paying more in tax—is not a sign that the Government is in control of costs within the Government machine.”
“The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that funds are aligned to support front-line services. That is at the core of our public service reform programme, which will shift an annualised £1 billion to the front line over the next five years. The changes to Scottish Government operating costs in 2024-25 were driven by a change in practice—primarily, reducing the use of expensive contingent workers and taking those roles in- house, where appropriate. The financial practice for recording the costs of many contingent workers ordinarily lies outwith the core operating costs. When such roles are moved in-house, that is reflected in what is presented in the accounts.”