Spending cuts could hit a whole range of services Scotland’s finance secretary has warned that public spending cuts of about £1.2bn could undermine the country’s economic recovery.
John Swinney was speaking ahead of Chancellor George Osborne’s Comprehensive Spending Review statement to the House of Commons.
Scotland is expected to take its share of the cuts at many levels.
Mr Swinney will decide spending priorities over the next month, but he has pledged to protect NHS spending.
However, he wants to curb pay rises and cut backroom management. Capital spending could also come under pressure.
A special BBC News season examining the approaching cuts to public sector spending
In the Comprehensive Spending Review, it is expected that some £83bn in UK public funding will be removed over the next four years.
Mr Swinney said: “The UK government will be judged on the decisions it will announce today – decisions that will cut spending too deeply, too quickly and in the wrong place.
“The chancellor’s cuts will destroy jobs, and risk economic recovery. This is wrong for Scotland and will mean Scots paying for UK economic mismanagement for many years to come.”
Mr Swinney said Scotland was facing “real pressure” and called on Mr Osborne to deliver a real-terms increase on health spending.
‘Take advice’
He added: “The UK Government must therefore confirm that it will extend its protection of the NHS to include its capital budget.
“If it does not, the UK government will let down every person who believed it was committed to the health service.”
And he restated the SNP’s drive to win full financial powers for Holyrood.
Tory finance spokesman Derek Brownlee MSP said the Scottish government was already saving more than it planned and urged ministers to take advice from his party.
He added: “Scottish Conservatives have so far found over three-quarters of a billion pounds of savings, which have to be made so we can protect jobs and help the recovery. We will continue to make the case for Scotland – it’s time the SNP followed suit.”
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