The cost of running the Scottish Government has surged by more than £50 million in just twelve months, with new figures revealing a dramatic increase in public spending despite many civil servants continuing to work from home.
Ballooning Operating Costs
Scottish Government operating costs have increased by £53 million in the last year, reaching an alarming £856 million in total. This represents a near-doubling of expenditure since 2018/19, when the budget stood at £441 million.
The latest financial data shows that despite efforts to encourage office returns, savings on accommodation have been minimal. Only £2 million was saved on accommodation costs while the IT bill saw a substantial £25 million increase during the same period.
Staff Costs Drive Spending Surge
Staffing expenses constitute the largest portion of the increased spending, with the civil servant wage bill rising by £57 million last year to reach £739 million. The number of full-time equivalent civil servants working directly for the Scottish Government has grown significantly, standing at 8,857 as of June this year compared to just 4,999 a decade earlier.
Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy condemned the spending increase, stating: "Scottish taxpayers will be shocked to discover that the costs of the Nationalists' ballooning government have now soared to more than £850 million."
Departmental Spending Shifts
The distribution of spending across government departments shows notable changes. The justice and social justice departments saw an £8 million reduction in spending over the past year, while the rural affairs department received an £8 million increase.
Other significant changes include:
- The Deputy First Minister, economy and Gaelic portfolio: £19 million increase
- Net Zero department: £5 million boost
- Health and education departments: £3 million rise each
- Constitution portfolio: £1 million increase
A Scottish Government spokesman defended the spending, highlighting workforce reductions: "Since March 2022 the core Scottish Government has reduced its contingent workers by 48 per cent and has also decreased its directly employed workforce by 0.6 per cent in the last 12 months."
The spokesman also noted that operating costs have been impacted by continued high inflation and that the government has exited 12 buildings since 2019 as part of efficiency measures.
