The issue was further confused when the Scottish Government later told The Herald it was “£280m over a two-year period by the end of 2024-25, with further projected savings of nearly £300m over the following two financial years to the end of 2026-27”.
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The Scottish Government has committed to “doubling down on reform and efficiencies” as part of its 10-year Public Service Reform (PSR) programme.
In its year’s budget, Shona Robison set aside £30m for an Invest to Save fund in 2025–2026 “to catalyse efficiency, effectiveness and productivity projects.”
The programme — which is being led by Mr McKee — aims to ensure that public services “remain fiscally sustainable” by cutting costs and reducing demand.
The First Minister hailed the drive while answering questions from charity bosses on Monday, following a speech setting out his hopes for the year ahead.
He said there were two approaches, the first was to ask ministers to “to maximise value for money” in their portfolios and the second was a series of “targeted interventions” led by Mr McKee.
The Public Finance minister had been tasked with identifying areas “where there are efficiencies to be gained through the redesign of services or through the redeployment of organisational resource”.
“And that’s already opening up savings opportunities of in excess of £200m pounds per annum.”
The First Minister said the government was “very much in the foothills” of the efficiency push.
Last week, in response to a Scottish Tory call to cut down on taxpayer cash spending, Mr McKee said: “Through our public service reform programmes, the Scottish Government has already delivered savings of more than £200m over the past two years.”
When The Herald asked the First Minister on Monday, he replied: “We’ll check the points that I made. But obviously, if you could produce those efficiencies within an individual financial year you will get the benefit of those on an ongoing basis, assuming you can continue to sustain it.”
The Scottish Government press team later issues a response to The Herald saying they were “securing significant cost avoidance and cash releasing savings, expected to reach up to £280m over a two year period by the end of 2024-25, with further projected savings of nearly £300m over the following two financial years to the end of 2026-27.”
Scottish Labour finance spokesperson Michael Marra said “Whether this is a failed attempt at spin or an embarrassing blunder, it’s clear John Swinney’s sums aren’t adding up.
“The fact is billions of pounds have been wasted by this SNP government and our public services are paying the price.
“It’s time for a new direction and a government that treats public money with the respect it deserves.”
Shadow cabinet secretary for finance and local government Craig Hoy said: “This is typical of the SNP’s inept management of Scotland’s finances. Their tendency to count and announce the same things several times over is either meant to pull the wool over the public’s eyes, or shows they’re hopelessly muddled.
“By contrast, the Scottish Conservatives have a fully costed, common-sense plan for public sector reform that will cut taxes and government spending and deliver for Scottish taxpayers.”
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In a report last year, Audit Scotland criticised the Scottish Government for not setting out a clear vision for public service sector reform.
They said ministers did not know “what savings will result from reform, or what reform efforts will cost”.