Quango row blamed on SNP

Published on Friday 26 June 2009 23:11

THE SNP were accused of failing to deliver on promises of "a bonfire of the quangos" after new figures revealed an increase in the number of their employees.

After coming to office in 2007 the SNP promised to reduce the quango state set up in Scotland by the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive.

However, a written answer from Finance Secretary John Swinney revealed the number of quango employees rose from 7,165 when the SNP came to power to 7,305 in February earlier this year.

Another written answer showed only 198 people have taken early retirement or severance payments in that time.

The Scottish Government yesterday insisted that in reality there was a reduction because the figures included the agency Disclosure Scotland, which has joined the list of quangos.

If Disclosure Scotland was taken out of the equation there would be a reduction of 15 staff.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "Actually this means the figures are good and we are pleased with what has been achieved."

However, Labour Lothians MSP Lord George Foulkes, who received the answers, claimed this was another broken SNP promise.

He put the failure of the bonfire of the quangos along with dropped policies on local income tax, reducing class sizes of P1 to P3 to 18, paying off student debt and giving first-time buyers a grant of 2,000.

"Even if it was a reduction of 15, that hardly represents a bonfire of the quangos," said Lord Foulkes. "But the reality is that the number of people employed under quangos has increased under the SNP.

"It is further proof the SNP made promises to win power and then failed to deliver."

He added that future figures should also include the creation of the 4.5 million Scottish Futures Trust, created by the SNP to push through infrastructure projects, but criticised in some quarters for doing nothing.