SNP cut consultancy costs by 78 per cent

THE amount the Scottish Government spends on consultancy work has fallen by 78 per cent in two years.

In 2011-12, the bill for consultants amounted to less than £4 million, compared with over £14m in 2009-10.

The SNP backbencher James Dornan said that showed the SNP administration at Holyrood “has its priorities right and is targeting its resources at the services we all rely on”.

The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, disclosed that spending by the Scottish Government on consultants in 2009-10 totalled £14,048,084. That fell to £5,240,237 in 2010-11 and then dropped again to £3,747,396 last year.

Dornan, a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Public Audit Committee, said: “At 
a time when budgets are ­under pressure, it is only right that the Scottish Government does everything it can to save money for frontline services.

The fact that consultancy spending has been driven down shows the government has its priorities right and is targeting resources on services we all rely on.

“By keeping backroom costs down, we are helping to ensure policies such as free care for the elderly, no tuition fees and the older person’s bus pass remain affordable.”