MSPs warned of heavy cuts in public spending

THE Scottish Government faces spending constraints "never witnessed before" in the lifetime of devolution, MSPs were warned.

Next year's budget will take the parliament into "new and challenging territory", finance committee chairman Andrew Welsh said.

MSPs were debating a report on the budget process that looked into the impact of the recession on public services. The comments were echoed by community safety minister Fergus Ewing, speaking about the fire service budget to the local government committee.

"We are now facing public expenditure cuts on a scale not experienced for decades," he said. "All areas of the public sector will have less money to spend. Not just next year, but several years to come."