Labour plan Scottish Treasury and Elon Musk-style efficiency drive

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar arrives in the conference hall to give his speech during the Scottish Labour Party conference at the Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC) in Glasgow.

A new Scottish Treasury to make sure every penny of taxpayers’ money is “spent wisely” would be established by a Labour government at Holyrood.

The party says it would be one of the most significant alterations to the machinery of government in Scotland since devolution.

At their annual conference in Glasgow on Saturday, Labour also unveiled plans for a new Elon Musk-style Scottish department of government efficiency to clear out inefficient quangos and merge health boards.

Musk’s own department of government efficiency has been criticised for shuttering US government agencies, defunding programmes and mass civil service layoffs.

Labour’s announcement came as it accused the SNP of wasting £6.7 billion on a series of financial mishaps.

This includes £303 million of cost overruns on two new ferries, an £898 million increase in the cost of the new HMP Glasgow prison, and almost £1.7 billion wasted on delayed discharge in hospitals.

Under the plans, the Scottish Treasury would:

Apply “robust value” for money and affordability tests on government spending
Ensure there is efficiency across public spending.
Deliver value for taxpayers’ money.
Prevent wasteful spending.
Set long-term, realistic spending plans.
Fund projects which deliver results for Scots.

Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra said: “For too long, working Scots have been forced to pay the price for the SNP’s incompetence and waste.

“While taxes rise, services decline and the cost of SNP waste keeps spiralling unchecked.

“This arrogant and out-of-touch SNP government has lost its way and cannot be trusted with public money – but Scottish Labour will always treat public money with respect.”

Audit Scotland has repeatedly criticised the lack of long-term financial planning by the Scottish Government, accusing it of taking short-term decisions and showing a lack of leadership and transparency.

Labour accused the SNP of “incompetence, a lack of control and an inability to plan for the medium and long-term”.

However, its Treasury proposal was immediately rubbished by nationalist MSPs.

Kevin Stewart, who represents Aberdeen Central, accused leader Anas Sarwar of trying to be a “pound shop Elon Musk”.

Meanwhile Rona Mackay, the MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, said: “The SNP, who in Government balance the budget every year, will take no lectures in fiscal responsibility from Labour, especially a Labour Party which has significantly harmed the public finances with its national insurance hike.”