Scotland must tame its bloated state

Having spent prodigiously, the SNP is recognising the need to make government leaner and more efficient.

There are more quangos in Scotland than there are MSPs. Government sources estimate there are around 140 state-funded public bodies, compared to 129 elected members at Holyrood.

With the public purse empty, ministers are looking at where they can make savings, and they have the quangos in their sights. Each has its own expensive army of staff, covering IT, HR, events and more. That is about to change.