Commenting ahead of the Stage 1 debate on Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill, Scottish Liberal Democrat Justice spokesperson Alison McInnes said:

“The Scottish government is sleepwalking through the biggest shakeup to our emergency services in a generation.

“There are a staggering number of fundamental concerns which have been left unanswered by the Scottish government.

“They continue to duck and dive when asked how they will maintain local accountability, confront the VAT bill and keep local Bobbies on the beat instead of manning desks in call centres.

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats have opposed this centralisation from day one, but it appears that nobody – including Reform Scotland, Unison, the Scottish Police Federation – can get the Scottish government to wake up to how flawed their plans really are.”