Scottish government confirms £500m in cuts

Scotland’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison has announced up to £500m of funding cuts as the government seeks to make savings in this financial year.

Ms Robison told parliament the country was facing “enormous and growing” financial pressure, including additional costs of £0.8bn in this financial year.

She cited public sector pay deals, “prolonged” Westminster austerity, inflation, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

As well as direct cuts, the government will draw down up to £460m from an auction of seabed plots for offshore wind projects.

The Scottish government introduced emergency curbs on all “non-essential” spending last month, including a recruitment freeze.

It said cost-cutting measures were necessary amid pay negotiations involving council workers, doctors, train drivers, nurses and teachers.

Ministers had already announced they would implement means-tested winter fuel payments, reintroduce peak rail fares, scrap free bus travel for people in the asylum system and delay a digital devices programme.

In addition to these measures, Ms Robison vowed the government would “maximise efficiencies” in public bodies.

She also said she would look to extend a recruitment freeze as part of the Scottish Budget, which she plans to deliver on 4 December.