SHONA Robison has revealed half a billion pounds of spending cuts this year.

The Finance secretary outlined the cuts, up to £500m, including “emergency spending controls” across the public sector.

Robison said the action was needed because of “enormous and growing pressure on the public finances”.  

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The cuts will target recruitment, overtime, travel and marketing across public sector departments.

There will be additional cuts to the sustainable and active travel and in health and social care over and above £188m of savings across all government portfolios.

She confirmed the Scottish Government will end the peak fares pilot when off-peak prices were available all day.

And also, the means testing of the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners will go ahead, after the UK Government took the decision for England last month.

The Finance Secretary said a number of factors, including the continuing effects of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, alongside UK Government spending decisions, have led to the need for the measures.

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She said: “This Government has consistently warned of the significance of the financial challenge ahead.

“In the last three years alone cumulative CPI inflation has seen prices increase by 18.9%, diminishing how far money will go for households and governments alike.”

Robison said she also plans to use up to £460 million of additional ScotWind revenue to address in-year pressures in 2024-25.

Opposition parties reacted to the statement.

Michael Marra, Labour finance spokesperson, said: “This statement is a threadbare, shameless attempt to once again pass the buck.

“After 17 years in power, the SNP is still insisting ‘it wasn’t us’.
“It’s the same script again and again.

“All of the independent experts – the Fraser of Allander Institute, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Audit Scotland, the Scottish Fiscal Commission – are absolutely clear that these SNP cuts stem from their incompetence.”

Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative finance spokesperson, said: “Had the Scottish economy grown at the same rate as the UK economy in the last decade, the SNP would have had £624million more in revenue.

“That startling fact – highlighted by the chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission Professor Graeme Roy today – is a damning indictment of the SNP’s tax policies.

“And the fact that it is almost the same staggering sum as the cuts Shona Robison is making highlights the devastating impact of the nationalists’ financial incompetence.

Ross Greer, Green finance spokesman, said: “This is a disaster for our climate. The SNP have chosen to slash spending on climate action and increase costs for commuters.

“Other options were available, but they’ve decided to cut the budgets for nature restoration and walking, wheeling and cycling, bring back peak rail fares and raid ScotWind funds originally intended for investment in our country’s future, especially in the green economy.”