Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 08 June 2022
It is good to be discussing this important topic, because we were unable to do so last week, as my colleague Liz Smith pointed out.
The spending review highlights the SNP-Green devolved Government’s mismanagement of our economy. With the highest-ever core block grant coming from the UK Government and more investment in Scotland than we have seen previously, it is ridiculous to see an SNP minister defend their economic decisions as they did last week.
Let us be clear that the tough decisions that this devolved Government is now facing are a direct consequence of its economic incompetence. At yesterday’s Finance and Public Administration Committee, I questioned the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on public sector job cuts. At first, I was given the usual smoke and mirrors, as we would expect of the SNP, but it was eventually mentioned that figures would go back to the levels that we saw before the pandemic.
Most of the increase was for health, and the cabinet secretary said that there will be no cuts to health staff. We have more than 1,000 staff in Social Security Scotland; I presume that that number will not be cut. We are expanding early learning and childcare provision; I presume that the Scottish Government will not reverse that policy. Therefore, we can presume only that the hammer will fall on the likes of the police, firefighters, teachers, social workers, carers, refuse collectors, road workers and lecturers, whom we need to upskill our workforce.