Robison warned the cuts would have a ‘significant effect’ on services

Cuts to the Scottish government’s budget will have a “significant effect” on its ability to deliver services, the finance secretary has warned.

Shona Robison also said Britain had entered a “new era of austerity” under the Labor government at Westminster, ahead of an announcement where she would confirm cuts to public services in Scotland.

Weekend newspaper report suggesting the size of the cuts could be more than £500m, with a stop to existing non-essential spending.

Ms Robison said she has been left with no choice because of UK government cuts that have affected funding available, while Labor claims the “painful” budget in October is needed to combat the “black hole” in public finances left by the previous Conservative administration.

Ms Robison said: “Under a Labor government, it is clear that we have entered a new era of austerity.

“The proposed cuts will have a huge impact on our ability to deliver for the people of Scotland – but (the) SNP government will do everything we can to protect people and public services from the cuts Westminster is making to our budget”.

He added that his government’s budget would still be “balanced”.

But, report last week from the independent economic forecaster Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) said that “a lot of pressure comes from the decisions of the Scottish government itself”.

The report found that the council tax freeze, lower public sector pay deals than other parts of the UK and social security reforms meant the Scottish government had narrowed its “room for maneuver now and in the future.”

The Scottish Government has confirmed it reintroduction of peak rail fares, scrapping free bus travel for asylum seekers, delaying initiatives to provide technology devices such as iPads to the “digitally excluded” and ending universal winter fuel payments for pensioners.

Environmental groups and The Scottish arts sector have expressed concern about its impact on their region.

First Minister John Swinney is expected to address the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday to launch the first Government Programme.

At his weekend speech to the SNP conference said the government needs to work “smarter and harder”, but the party refused to introduce austerity in Scotland.

On Monday he told the BBC Good morning Scotland program that the devolved administration “lives in a means”.

Ms. Robison previously told BBC Scotland News that devolved countries need more “fiscal flexibility”, and that Labor Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ cuts will have an impact on the Scottish budget.

However, Scottish Labour’s finance spokesman Michael Marra accused the SNP of “secrecy and spin” on the country’s finances.

He said: “It’s time for the SNP to come clean about the financial chaos that has been created and tell us the truth about what lies ahead. The SNP has said ‘important’ jobs will be protected from cuts, but has failed to say anything about the ‘important’ job ‘.

“This incompetence and failure to plan has led to uncertainty for public sector workers and chaos for service leaders, who now desperately need clarity”.

Scottish Conservative finance spokeswoman Liz Smith said the SNP had created a “high tax, low growth environment” that needed to be reversed, and further tax increases would be “devastating”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the SNP were in a “mess” because they were focusing on independence rather than public services.

He added: “This statement should contain a commitment to develop the economy and an apology for the amount of money that has been wasted”.

The Scottish Greens have called for the next Government’s Program to have “human rights and equality at its heart”.

A spokesman for the UK government said it was taking “difficult decisions” to tackle the £22bn hole in public finances left by the previous government.

He added: “We are committed to working with the Scottish government on our shared priorities to fix the foundations of our economy, so we can rebuild England and make all parts of England better.”