Scots deserve better from SNP

At a time when communities across Scotland are feeling the strain of stretched public services, rising costs, and increased demand, people have the right to expect that every penny of government spending is carefully managed and delivers real value.

- Claire Baker

But under the SNP Government, too much public money is disappearing into a web of unaccountable bodies, with little to show for it.

New figures have shown that close to £9 million a year is currently being paid out to over 830 board members of Scotland’s quangos - quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations.

These are public bodies, many unelected and operating at arm's length from Ministers, but funded by taxpayers.

Board members at these organisations often only work for a few days a year, with some earning more than £2000 a day for that work.

Across our NHS £1.8 million each year is being spent on board member payments.

Ahead of the 2007 election, the SNP promised to reduce the number of quangos, but in government they have become comfortable with continuing to spend millions each year to keep many of them in place.