Scottish Government’s spending on civil servants doubles in eight years – Tories

Spending on civil servants in Scotland has doubled over the last eight years, according to an analysis of figures by the Scottish Conservatives.

The party said that between 2016 and 2024 the amount spent on Scottish Government salaries soared to nearly £469,063,959 – a 91% real-terms rise.

Total workforce costs also rose to more than £615,513,248, an increase of more than 104%.

Scotland’s devolved Civil Service workforce has grown substantially in recent years, reaching more than 9,000 last year – a 71% rise since 2016.

The Scottish Tories said spending on the highest C1, C2 and C3 pay grade civil servants has also tripled in this time to reach £256,672,214.

The party said the figures mean that Scotland had a much higher public sector workforce than England at 22% and 17% of the working population, respectively.

Craig Hoy, the party’s finance spokesperson, said the figures were “staggering” and showed ministers’ “contempt for hard-pressed Scots”.

He 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.

“While we need a civil service to deliver public services, taxpayers are getting a raw deal with this increasingly bloated SNP version.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives at Holyrood are determined to put an end to this sort of reckless spending and calling for the tax burden to fall to help grow our economy.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Staff numbers initially grew in order to establish newly devolved powers, such as social security, as well as to respond to Brexit, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Since March 2022 the total size of the Scottish Government workforce has reduced by 4%, with headcount down by 182 in the last quarter.

“The Scottish Budget has set a commitment to continue reductions as part of our wider ambitions for public service reform.”