The Scottish Conservatives have pledged £650 million in tax cuts, funded by a major shake-up of Scotland’s public sector, under plans to be unveiled at the party’s conference in Edinburgh.
In his first keynote speech as leader, Russell Findlay will propose a Taxpayer Savings Act aimed at slashing waste and bureaucracy.
The plan includes cutting quangos by 25%, reducing the number of ministers and advisers, and creating a new Scottish Agency of Value and Efficiency led by business experts.
The savings would be used to simplify Scotland’s income tax system by replacing the current 20% and 21% tax bands with a flat 19% rate for earnings up to the higher rate threshold of £43,663.
The move would benefit all workers earning over £15,398, with potential annual savings of up to £444.
Findlay described the SNP-led government as bloated and inefficient, arguing that “people in the real world who know how to get things done” should be tasked with tackling waste.
He also announced plans to introduce an “Accountability and Transparency Index” to increase oversight of public spending.
Currently, 22% of Scotland’s workforce is employed in the public sector ,higher than the UK average and public sector wages are, on average, £2,400 higher north of the Border.
Responding to the announcement, SNP Finance Minister Ivan McKee said the Scottish Government had already reduced the number of public bodies since 2007 and is preparing to publish a new Public Service Reform strategy.
He blamed Brexit for a £2.3 billion drop in public revenues in 2023, complicating further reforms.
