John Swinney urged to give full details on public sector reforms after 'masterclass in evasion'
The Tories said the proposals looked like they had been ‘written on the back of a fag packet’
John Swinney has been urged to give full details on exactly what his public sector reforms will mean for Scotland in a statement to MSPs.
The Scottish Conservatives said the current proposals looked like they had been “written on the back of a fag packet”.
The party’s Murdo Fraser accused the First Minister of a “masterclass in evasion” after he said he could not put a figure on potential job losses.
Mr Swinney pledged to oversee the “the most radical reshaping of public services” in Holyrood’s history when he outlined his programme for government last week.
But his plans to drastically reduce the number of NHS boards in Scotland from 14 to two immediately sparked a fierce backlash from trade unions.
Unite accused the First Minister of setting out a "slash and burn programme" that will inevitably result in "swingeing cuts and thousands of job losses".
Mr Fraser said: “John Swinney cannot answer basic questions about his proposed public sector reforms that he was so keen to talk up last week.
“His performance on the BBC [Sunday Show] was a masterclass in evasion. He couldn’t say how many jobs will be lost or what savings will be involved.
“Swinney must urgently come to parliament and make a statement that finally gives full details on exactly what his reforms will mean for Scotland.
“The current proposals look like they have been written on the back of a fag packet and Swinney must open himself up to scrutiny from MSPs on reforms that would have huge changes for the public sector.
“We welcome any plans to reduce the public sector which is bloated and inefficient under the SNP. But the shocking lack of detail and refusal to answer basic questions raises serious doubts about whether Swinney has the stomach for the fight or even has a clue about what he wants to do.
“It is time for him to finally show he is serious about tackling the £5 billion blackhole his party have created in Scotland’s finances and that starts by coming to Parliament and giving MSPs and Scots the full details on his changes.”
In an interview on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, Mr Swinney was asked a number of times how many NHS jobs would go as a result of the plans.
He said: “I can’t put a specific figure on that today and I simply wouldn’t be giving a comprehensive answer if that was the case.
“What we’ve got to work our way through is a programme of reform to make sure that we put people right at the very centre of the delivery of public services, so that they can see the enhancement in the provision of those services in their localities.
“And that will apply through all of the public service reform that we take forward, from the point of principle that services must improve for individuals, and we will ensure that Scotland is rewired, that public services are reimagined to make sure that we deliver on public expectations in the years to come.”
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