Russell Findlay said John Swinney should bring in a “credible business leader” to cut SNP waste and save the taxpayer money.
At First Minister’s Questions, the Scottish Conservative leader said the size of the SNP state was “truly farcical” and the Nationalist government had failed to “deliver efficient and effective public services”.
Findlay highlighted comments from Scotland’s Information Commissioner, David Hamilton, who recently said he was “astonished” at the “sheer number of public bodies” in Scotland.
He said: “There are literally hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of public bodies and I keep finding new ones.”
He also revealed he discusses the issue with the Auditor General and they occasionally play “public authority bingo” in which they ask: “Have you heard of this one? Have you heard of that one?” about public sector agencies.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “The Auditor General and the Information Commissioner, the two most powerful civil servants tasked with keeping the state in check, are hitting a brick wall of SNP secrecy.
“It is truly farcical that public servants in charge of information and financial transparency can’t get the answers they and the public deserve.
“The size of the bloated SNP state is out of control and shrouded in secrecy. It’s costing taxpayers a fortune and reducing funding for the frontline.
“The SNP are failing to deliver efficient and effective public services – and this needs to change.
“John Swinney should bring in a credible business leader from outside his government to sort this out.
“The SNP have created too many talking shops that achieve nothing. They’ve published 800 plans and strategies which no-one reads.
“Nobody knows how many SNP state agencies there are – not even the Auditor General and the Information Commissioner.
“This year’s SNP budget will again hammer working Scots by raising taxes which they will then waste on more nonsense.
“It’s basic common sense that John Swinney should start saving taxpayers money by cutting quangos and funding the frontline instead.”