This may include adverts from us and 3 rd parties based on our understanding. The Scottish Government aims for the international office network in Berlin, Washington, Paris, Ottawa and Brussels is to strengthen Scotland's international relationships But the high salaries of senior staff have raised questions about the Scottish Government's use of public money in relation to whether the overseas offices are value for money for the Scottish taxpayer.
Figures revealed in an FOI request showed the SNP-led Scottish Government spends up to 103,495 and 83,233 per year on a director and Deputy Director to manage the Brussels overseas office. The lower end of the salary bracket is 95,930 for a director and 77,340 for a deputy director. Ministers have also launched a recruitment drive for policy staff for their Brussels office. One recent position for an Environment and Transport policy adviser involves providing forward intelligence on emerging EU law to support Scotland based policy teams and Ministers. Another description of a policy adviser says: You will take up the post at a challenging time as Scotland feels the full impact of the loss of EU membership, now as part of a third country. A recent business plan for Scotland House Brussels which senior staff are responsible for implementing also showed Ministers wanted to promote understanding around discussions on Scotland s constitutional future to European neighbours. As always, there are serious questions for the Scottish Conservatives about their use of public money The SNP government need to focus 100% on using all resources for economic recovery from the pandemic, getting young people's education back on track and supporting Scotland's NHS at its time of greatest need. Hardworking taxpayers will expect any overseas spending to attract investment and drive trade — not to fuel division. READ MORE: SNP relies on 'Union' trade with UK compared to EU, data reveals.
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, Scottish Lib Dems leader, said: This will come as a slap in the face to public sector employees working their socks off for a fraction of these eye-watering salaries. I m all for good relationships with Brussels but this feels like a vanity project for the SNP and quite possibly a taxpayer-funded staging post on their path to independence. Scottish Tory chief whip Dominic Raab previously wrote a letter to former Foreign Secretary Stephen Kerr about the SNP's decision to open the offices earlier this year. In the letter, the Central Scotland MSP requested that the UK Government remind First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of the missions and embassies provided by the UK Government.