Shona Robison – Public sector jobs will have to reduce

Scotland’s public sector workforce will have to be cut, the finance secretary has said.

Shona Robison told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show there was “no doubt” that staffing for services would have to be reduced due to tight budgets and inflation-driven pay deals.

The deputy first minister said areas like health would be protected, and that the government still wanted to avoid compulsory redundancies.

More detail of reforms to services is expected in next month’s Scottish budget, with Ms Robison suggesting more use of digital technology and the potential for buildings being sold off if more people are working from home.