'Axe quangos not the police'

CENTRAL government departments and quangos should take the brunt of the budget cuts, with special protection for the police, according to a survey of Scottish finance managers.

Only 1 per cent of 100 questioned north of the Border thought police forces should be in the firing line, far less than the 12 per cent who were happy to see NHS cuts.

Almost half thought savings should be made by the UK government, with 29 per cent wanting to see the defence budget cut. Of the other options, 17 per cent thought education budgets should be cut, and 16 per cent wanted to see the axe fall on local government.