Off balance

In The Scotsman of 19 November there is a quote from the First Minister that “the budget for 2023-2024 will be a difficult balancing act in the wake of the Autumn Statement”. However, Kate Forbes MSP had “already warned that the public sector required a reshape and staffing levels would need to drop by around 30,000 by April 2023” (your report, 17 November). Note that John Swinney MSP, currently deputising for the Finance Secretary, has yet to address this solution, outlined in the spring, to balance the current budget by March 2023!

IAN MOIR Castle Douglas