Taxpayers’ £2 million bill for SNP ministers’ office staff

PRIVATE office staff for Nicola Sturgeon and her Cabinet cost the taxpayer more than £2million, figures have revealed.

A team of 53 officials are employed to prop up SNP ministers by dealing with their correspondence, organising their diaries and handling communications.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf is assisted by eight officials – more than any other minister apart from Miss Sturgeon and double the number of Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

Critics condemned Mr Yousaf’s massive team when the NHS is facing its biggest-ever crisis amid plunging levels of performance on his watch.

The huge number of officials working with ministers is in stark contrast to Alex Salmond’s promise to cut the cost of government when the SNP first came to power in 2007.

Conservative MSP Annie Wells said: ‘The SNP Government have set the bar high when it comes to squandering taxpayers’ cash but, pound for pound, the costs of Humza Yousaf’s entourage takes some beating when you look at the mess our

‘Yousaf’s entourage takes some beating’

NHS is in on his watch.’ The figures, obtained by the Conservatives through freedom of information requests, give the titles of each member of staff in a minister’s private office and their salary range.

Miss Sturgeon’s office includes a principal private secretary, whose salary details have been withheld by the Scottish Government, a senior private secretary earning up to £79,109, a private secretary on up to £65,276, three deputy private secretaries on up to £49,860, an office manager on up to £39,541 and two assistant private secretaries earning up to £27,335.

Mr Yousaf is assisted by a £65,276 private secretary, four deputy private secretaries on £39,541£49,860 and three assistant private secretaries on up to £27,335, a total cost of up to £316,478.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has five staff costing up to £219,666, Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson has five staff earning up to £201,347 and Justice Secretary Keith Brown and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes both have five staff costing up to £189,423. The other four ministers all have four staff costing up to £180,407.