Yousaf orders review of civil service bank card spending

Humza Yousaf said it was "fair to ask the questions" about the spending

First Minister Humza Yousaf has ordered a review of Scottish government bank card spending by civil servants.

Nearly 60,000 transactions, including spending on VIP airport services, worth £14.2m were made on the procurement cards over a three-year period.

Mr Yousaf said it was "fair to ask the questions" about the spending and has asked his officials to review procedures.

It comes as further details of the spending on the cards is revealed.

Bowling, pottery lessons and yoga classes were among the "away days" for civil servants paid for on Scottish government procurement cards.

Team building events described as away days in the list of spending cost a total of £32,995 between September 2019 and August last year.

The Scottish government said it proactively publishes information about spending to improve openness and transparency - and the review was to provide "additional assurance".

• Civil servants in Scotland made 58,000 bank card transactions

The Scottish government issues its senior staff with credit-card style electronic purchasing cards for buying goods and services up to a value of £5,000 per transaction.

A summary of purchases over £500 is officially published, but Scottish Labour obtained a full breakdown detailing all values between September 2019 and August last year.

The spending included nearly £10,000 on giving former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, and her staff, fast-track security and access to lounges at UK and European airports.

It also included a payment of £4,182 on 8 September 2019 for hospitality and hotel accommodation at the five-star Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire.

A stay at Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder was among the items paid for on the Scottish government procurement cards

Speaking at an Edinburgh Fringe event with comedian Matt Forde, Mr Yousaf was asked about the procurement card spending.

According to the Daily Record newspaper, he said: "It's fair to ask the questions that people are asking about. Was this item spent? Why was it spent? Why was it bought by the civil service?

"I will ask the permanent secretary to just review, 'do we have the right procedures in place when it comes to spend'."

The first minister added: "I noticed one of the headlines around security through airports and so on and so forth, which again is fair for people to ask a question.

"We absolutely have to be mindful of every penny and every pound that we spend, but we've also got to be mindful of people's security."

'Away days'

The vast majority of the 58,000 entries were for everyday purchases needed by civil servants but more than 3,000 entries in the list of purchases have no description against them.

Dozens of transactions had entries with purchases for what are described as "away days".

This included a £375 bill at Brewhemia in Edinburgh - one of Scotland's largest pubs - in September 2019, as well as trips to upmarket bowling alleys.

There are also entries for team building events in Escape Rooms, where a group of people are locked in a room and have to solve a series of puzzles to get out, and crazy golf venues.

Civil servants used the procurement cards for an away day event at Edinburgh Zoo

A £1,693 "away day discussion" at the Seamill Hydro hotel in Ayrshire last year is also listed.

Hiring part of Edinburgh Zoo in 2019 cost civil servants just over £2,000, while the same year there is a separate £345 payment was made to a craft pottery firm for an event.

One further away day activity in 2019 saw civil servants purchase ping pong balls, chocolate mice, play dough and paper planes.

'Concerning'

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "It is deeply concerning that such a large amount of money is being spent on away days at a time when families across Scotland are struggling to make ends meet.

"No one would dispute that away days can be useful and a normal part of working practice, but eyebrows will be raised at the locations - including a jolly to Edinburgh Zoo."

The Scottish government said: "Spending through electronic purchasing cards is used to support government officials during their usual course of work such as on training, catering, room hire and one-off supplies.

"The cards are not for personal expenditure and there are robust authorisation and regular auditing arrangements are in place to monitor their use."