Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said taxpayers would question whether it was value for money.
The Scottish Conservatives have said SNP spending on private consultants appears "out of control" after figures showed it had doubled over the last five years. Data from a Freedom of Information response to the Scottish Tories showed that spending on such consultants increased from almost £21.3million in 2018/19 to nearly £42.3million in 2022/23.
She said: "The SNP's spending on private consultants looks to be out of control. If there's a way to waste taxpayers' money, the SNP will manage it. We know the SNP don't get much right on their own, but the solution isn't to throw more and more taxpayers' money at highly-paid consultants. "Reckless use of taxpayers' money is driving the disconnect between the public and politicians. It's causing people to lose trust in politics and feel that the Scottish Parliament just doesn't get it.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government may undertake procurement of consultants if in-house resources are unavailable, or if specialist skills are needed. All spend is carefully considered to ensure value for money for the people of Scotland."
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