Latest news with #CraigHoy
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
SNP ministers slammed over pay rises as frontline services set to miss out on £450,000
Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy accused ministers of 'pulling the wool over people's eyes' 'SHAMELESS SPIN' SNP ministers slammed over pay rises as frontline services set to miss out on £450,000 SNP ministers were slammed over their pay rises - which will see frontline services miss out on almost £450,000. All top Nats have accepted a £19,126 annual boost, apart from John Swinney after he ended their MSP salary freeze introduced in 2009. Advertisement 2 Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said John Swinney should apologise Credit: Alamy 2 Ivan McKee boasted an extra £166,000 would be available Credit: Getty The 'minister' add-ons to their wages will still stay the same. Public finance chief Ivan McKee this week boasted this would make an extra £166,000 available for the NHS, schools and councils. But it would have been over £600,000 if the First Minister hadn't approved his team's bumper increases. Social care minister Maree Todd claimed the £439,898-a-year bill for 23 cabinet secretaries and others 'won't cost the public purse a penny'. Advertisement But Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said: 'This exposes shameless SNP spin. The rises are a reward for 18 years of failure. 'Ministers tried to pull the wool over people's eyes rather than be straight about how it will hit public services. John Swinney should apologise for this misinformation.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Ministerial and MSP salaries are set and paid by the Scottish Parliament.' We recently told how around one in six Scots are languishing on NHS waiting lists - more than double since the start of the pandemic five years ago. Advertisement Shocking figures reveal 860,925 are hanging on for crucial diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CT and MRI scans, as well as inpatient and outpatient treatment. SNP chiefs were savaged by rivals as the backlog showed no signs of easing, despite pledges from First Minister John Swinney, Nicola Sturgeon and a string of health secretaries that they would fix the NHS. Jenny Gilruth accused of 'playing truant' after her parliament no-show The numbers languishing have increased, hitting 600,000 in June 2021, before rising to 700,000 in March 2022. They hit a record high in June last year just after John Swinney replaced Humza Yousaf in Bute House, with 868,924 forced to wait for tests or appointments. Advertisement The rise comes despite the Scottish Government vowing to cut waits and increase treatment slots in its August 2021 NHS Recovery plan.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Panellists confirmed for Debate Night Hamilton by-election special
Six politicians will appear on the topical show being broadcast from Hamilton a week before the constituency's crunch Holyrood poll The six political panellists taking part in tonight's special Hamilton edition of BBC show Debate Night have been confirmed by programme makers. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes of the SNP, Conservative MSP Craig Hoy, deputy Labour leader Dame Jackie Baillie, Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton, Green co-leader Lorna Slater and Reform councillor Thomas Kerr will take questions from a studio audience of constituents. It comes a week before voters go to the polls in the intensely-contested Holyrood by-election in the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse constituency, which follows the death in March of long-serving constituency politician Christina McKelvie. Local voters were previously invited to apply for free tickets to join the studio audience for BBC Scotland's weekly debate show, hosted by Stephen Jardine, to put questions to the political panellists and 'have their say on who should be the next MSP' for the area. The by-election special edition will be broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel at 9pm on Wednesday, May 28, and again on BBC1 at 10.40pm on the same night. It features representatives of six of the record 10 parties and candidates contesting the June 5 election. The full list of candidates standing in the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse seat is: Collette Bradley (Scottish Socialist Party); Andy Brady (Scottish Family Party); Ross Lambie (Reform); Katy Loudon (SNP); Janice MacKay (UKIP); Ann McGuinness (Green); Aisha Mir (Liberal Democrats); Richard Nelson (Conservative); Davy Russell (Labour); and Marc Wilkinson (independent). Debate Night producers describe the show as 'the only television programme of its kind in Scotland – it gives you the opportunity to put your questions to the country's decision-makers and public figures'. It travels across Scotland each week and has previously been broadcast from Rutherglen in 2023 ahead of that constituency's Westminster by-election, as well as from North Lanarkshire venues at Motherwell and Cumbernauld. * Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
STV News
22-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Councils face £647m budget gap due to rising costs, inflation and social care
Scotland's councils are facing a budget gap of £647m over the next year due to rising costs, inflation and social care demands, according to the regulatory conciliar body. That is despite councils receiving £15.2bn from the Scottish Government in the budget for 2025-26 – with the amount of cash rising by 6% in real-terms. The Accounts Commission says the country's 32 local authorities are relying on unsustainable savings and borrowing and require urgent service delivery reforms to meet expectations. It also said longer-term change in the way services are delivered is happening but must accelerate. Capital funding is vital for councils to invest in public buildings such as schools and libraries, as well as roads. It also underpins the significant transformation needed in the ways services are delivered in the future. Derek Yule, member of the Accounts Commission said: 'There's a growing expectation gap. Councils don't have enough money to meet current demand, at a time when local communities are being asked to contribute more through increases in council tax and charges for some services. 'Councils need to provide clearer budget information and work with communities to determine how services will be delivered in the future. These conversations won't be easy. 'With public finances tightening, however, not all cost increases faced by councils can be met by government funding. Local action is needed now to find solutions to immediate and future financial challenges. 'This means difficult decisions on what services can be delivered and making major changes in how they are delivered.' The report told how councils are due to make 'around £210m of approved savings' in 2025-26, with this including £68m of savings from corporate services and £58m from children's services. The hike in employers' national insurance contributions is also impacting councils, with local government body Cosla saying this could cost £370m a year – more than double the £144m provided by the Scottish Government towards the rise. Councils across Scotland increased council tax for 2025-26 to help with their finances – with rises ranging from 6% in South Lanarkshire to 15.6% in Falkirk. However the Accounts Commission said higher bills for local people means 'there is greater expectation on the performance of local services'. Conservative finance and local government spokesman Craig Hoy said: 'This eye-opening report confirms that years of chronic underfunding from the SNP is having a devastating impact on council budgets. 'It is completely unsustainable for councils to continue facing budget shortfalls of hundreds of millions of pounds. 'The black hole the SNP have overseen in local authority budgets means hard-pressed taxpayers are now paying more and more but getting less and less in return.' Labour local government spokesman Mark Griffin also criticised the Scottish Government, saying: 'This stark report shows people right across Scotland are paying more and getting less as a result of SNP incompetence and cuts. 'Councils have faced years of budget cuts under the SNP, leaving services threadbare and making long-term reform more difficult.' Scottish Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Jamie Greene said: 'Local authorities have had a raw deal from the SNP over many years and that has had a knock-on impact on the provision of vital local functions. 'This report shows there is a titanic gulf between what the SNP have provided and what councils say they actually need to maintain basic local functions.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'This report confirms that the Scottish Government provided a real-terms increase in funding for local government in 2025-26, building on continued increases in recent years. 'The Scottish Government will continue to work in partnership with local government to address the challenges facing council budgets and ensure we are operating sustainable people centred public services that communities expect and deserve.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
John Swinney accused of secrecy over Operation Branchform
One rival said the failure to be open was 'typical' of the SNP's approach JOHN Swinney has been accused of 'secrecy' over cops' SNP fraud probe. Rivals blasted the First Minister — nicknamed Honest John — for refusing to say when and how he learned Nicola Sturgeon was in the clear. 1 Scottish Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said the failure to be open was 'typical' of the SNP Credit: Alamy Detectives previously arrested her and ex-Nats treasurer Colin Beattie. But both were told in March they were no longer under investigation. Her estranged husband Peter Murrell has been charged with embezzlement. Mr Swinney's officials said publishing any communications about Ms Sturgeon's position would 'risk' justice being 'seriously impeded'. But ministers previously shared an email from a top civil servant to then First Minister Humza Yousaf informing him of ex-SNP chief Mr Murrell's arrest in 2023. Scottish Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy said the failure to be open was 'typical' of the SNP's approach to transparency. He said: 'It is typical of the secrecy we've come to expect from the SNP Government that they won't reveal what John Swinney knew and when. 'Whenever there's an awkward story or scandal, their first instinct is to disclose as little information is possible – and this policy seems to extend to their quangos too.' The Scottish Government said: 'It would not be appropriate to comment as there are live criminal proceedings.' Police and the Crown were asked for comment. John Swinney says he's not been asked by cops for Branchform chat We previously told how the FM was accused of overseeing an 11-year "fiasco" amid a fresh delay to one of two new ferries for islanders. Swinney faced jeers as it emerged delivery of the MV Glen Rosa to CalMac had been put back nine months until next year.
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
SNP's £100million bill for spin doctors amid crisis gripping Scotland's health service
More than £100million of taxpayers' money has been spent on spin doctors by Scotland's public sector while the NHS and other services are in crisis. SNP ministers have been urged to stop squandering so much money defending their 'atrocious' record after the extraordinary spin bill was racked up over the last three years. An army of 642 spin doctors is now employed by the Scottish Government and 93 other Scottish public bodies, including councils, quangos and health boards, to promote the work that they are doing in the media. The annual cost of press and communications staff has rocketed by nearly a fifth over the course of just three financial years, from £30.7 million in 2021/22 to £36.7 million in 2023/24. Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Craig Hoy said: 'Taxpayers will be astonished that, at a time when they are making swingeing cuts, the SNP Government are squandering an absolute fortune on spin doctors. 'This is money that could be spent on frontline services but is instead effectively being used to try to defend the SNP. 'It's breathtaking hypocrisy from John Swinney, who, before he came into office, was an arch-critic of public money being lavished on spin doctors. The Scottish Conservatives believe in getting value for money for taxpayers by spending funds on public services, rather than vanity projects. 'But while our NHS is in crisis, John Swinney's priority is to waste taxpayers' cash trying to defend his party's atrocious record. It's just another example of the bloated public service the Nationalists are presiding over.' The Scottish Government's own press and communications bill was £11,971,508 in the three years to the end of 2023/24. It increased from £3,739,924 in 2021/22 to £4,097,722 the following year and £4,133,862 in 2023/24. Over the three year period, the 32 local authorities spent just under £32 million on press and communications, while 10 NHS boards which provided figures spent £7.8 million. The full time equivalent number of press and communications staff increased from 609 in 2021/22 to 642 in 2023/24. The lavish spending came over a period where the SNP Government imposed income tax hikes, with everyone earning more than £30,300 now paying more in Scotland than the rest of the UK. All 32 local authorities have also forced through a series of council tax rises, including an average increase of £116 in the financial year which began last month with individual councils imposing rises of up to 15.6 per cent. At the same time, Scotland's NHS has been mired in crisis with major concerns about waiting times for key treatments, delays in accident and emergency wards, and growing pressure on GPs and the Scottish Ambulance Service. Mr Hoy said that the £100 million spent on spin is the same amount as the SNP has budgeted to 'mitigate' the Labour Government's cuts to the winter fuel payment, and also how much they were prepared to spend to support mid-market rents in a housing emergency. He added: 'But when it comes to protecting their reputation with taxpayers' money, the SNP are happy to spend like a sailor on shore leave.' The biggest spend on press and communications by any public body in 2023/24 was the Scottish Government's £4.13 million bill, followed by Police Scotland's bill of up to £3.79 million, Glasgow City Council at £1.52 million, City of Edinburgh Council at £1.41 million and NatureScot at £1.29 million. Other seven-figure sums were spent by exams quango the Scottish Qualifications Authority, at £1.27 million and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, at £1.06 million. Of the 10 health boards to provide figures, total spending increased from £2.39 million in 2021/22 to £2.59 million in 2022/23 and £2.83 million in 2023/24. The biggest bill for a single health board last year was £654,790 at NHS Lanarkshire, followed by £361,145 at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and £356,946 at NHS Grampian. A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'Effective communication, including through work with journalists and through social media, is essential to raise awareness of government policies and to encourage uptake of key public services. 'Public sector organisations have a vital role in delivering on their priorities for the people of Scotland. Decisions on spending on communications are operational matters for individual organisations to make.'
