by BILL HEANEY
The Scottish Conservatives are today (Monday) demanding that John Swinney come to Parliament and give full details on exactly what his public sector reforms will mean for Scotland.
The party’s public service reform spokesman Murdo Fraser has made the call following a “masterclass in evasion” from Swinney when he appeared on the BBC’s Sunday Show.
Swinney failed to answer four questions about how many jobs will be lost by the proposed reforms, while he also failed to provide a clear answer when asked three times about the financial savings involved.
The Programme for Government also only had 32 words within it on plans to reduce the number of health boards in Scotland from 14 to two.
Fraser says the current proposals look like they have been “written on the back of a fag packet” and says Swinney must urgently appear in Holyrood to be scrutinised further on his plans.
Fraser says Swinney’s repeated failure to answer basic questions raises serious questions about whether he has the “stomach for the fight” to take on unions who have said they are not going to accept job cuts for their members.
He added that the SNP have created a £5billion blackhole in Scotland’s finances and have no credible plans to stop the deficit spiralling even further.
Secret Scotland has not shut down post-Sturgeon. Murdo Fraser accuses John Swinney of evasion.
Scottish Conservative public service reform spokesman Murdo Fraser MSP 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 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 £5billion blackhole his party has created in Scotland’s finances and that starts by coming to Parliament and giving MSPs and Scots the full details on his changes.”