SCOTTISH Government spending has “spiralled” as costs for civil servants have nearly doubled in eight years, new stats show.
Staff salaries spiked to nearly £500million between 2016 and last year, a 91 per cent rise in real terms.
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Scottish Tory Craig Hoy hit out at the Scottish Government over the “unsustainable spending”
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Scottish Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine said the government should keep staffing under control
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First Minister John Swinney is under pressure
Workforce costs surged to more than £600m over the same period, an increase of more than 100 per cent.
Opposition politicians have accused SNP ministers of “showing contempt for hard-pressed Scots” and branded the spending “unsustainable”.
Scottish Tory shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy said: “The SNP’s big state has spiralled in size in recent years and shows no sign of stopping.
“The staggering increase in spending in relation to civil servants in recent years sums up their contempt for hard-pressed Scots.
“They will be appalled that they are paying the highest rates of income tax in the UK to help build an ever-growing army of civil servants, with workforce costs hitting over £600 million alone, while simultaneously our public services worsen.
“This level of unsustainable spending is clearly harmful for Scotland’s economy, which is already performing poorly under the SNP.”
Scottish Lib Dem MP, Christine Jardine, said: “The Scottish Government should keep their staffing under regular review to ensure that it is delivering for taxpayers.
“Working people have felt the squeeze of the cost of living crisis in recent years, they need to know their taxes are being well spent.”
Labour’s Michael Marra weighed in: “While lifeline services are creaking under SNP incompetence, its own bloated operation gets a blank cheque.”
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The number of Scottish Government employees also reached over 9,000 last year – a 71 per cent rise since 2016.
Meanwhile, spending on high-pay grade civil servants has also tripled.
Benjamin Elks, grassroots development manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s no wonder Scottish taxpayers are struggling to make ends meet when the cost of government is ballooning before their eyes.
“As hard-working Scots tighten their belts, the gravy train in Holyrood keeps on rolling with this dramatic increase in well-paid bureaucrats.
“Ministers must immediately bring this bill under control and focus on delivering value for money.”
On Friday, we told how the government shells out around £3.3m each year on workers with wellbeing in their title.
It emerged that 56 civil servants carry out the roles, including one highly paid director and three deputies raking in around £420,000 between them.
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A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Since 2022 the total size of the workforce has reduced by four per cent with headcount down by 182 in the last quarter.
“The Budget has set a commitment to continue reductions.”