Ministers in Holyrood have been slammed for "squandering" £20million of taxpayer money on "woke" jobs and training.
Researchers from the Scottish Tories said the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) spent millions on equality, diversity and inclusion (DEI) roles and training since 2019.
Included in that bill is £8.9million by the NHS, £5.9million by universities and £2.5million spent by Scottish councils.
However, the Tories warned the bill is likely to be higher as some organisations refused to respond to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, as the figure was not held centrally.
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|First minister John Swinney
As part of the spending, £1,100 was splashed on "transgender awareness training" while £3,000 has been spent on membership of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Scheme.
Over 6,000 SNP Government staff have taken part in "mandatory annual inclusive culture training".
Scottish Tory deputy Rachael Hamilton MSP told The Telegraph: "Hard-pressed Scots will be outraged that the SNP have squandered millions on woke training and roles, when they are making savage cuts to vital public services.
"It’s difficult to justify this level of spending when the NHS remains in permanent crisis mode, educational standards are plummeting, and Scotland continues to have the highest drug death rate in Europe.
"It’s no wonder Scots are fed up with Left-wing politicians at Holyrood. They’re wasting taxpayers’ money like it’s going out of fashion."
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|Russell Findlay, alongside Scottish Tory Deputy Leader, Rachael Hamilton
It comes after a landmark tribunal about a nurse at an NHS hospital in Fife, where she complained about having to change in the same room as a transgender medic.
Sandie Peggie was suspended from her job in 2024 after she complained about having to share a changing room with Dr Beth Upton.
Peggie was later placed on special leave after a complaint of bullying and harassment by Dr Upton, but was cleared by an NHS Fife investigation earlier this week.
The suspension led to an employment tribunal this year, in which Peggie launched a claim against Dr Upton and NHS Fife, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, harassment related to a protected belief, indirect discrimination and victimisation.
PA | Sandie Peggie (pictured) challenged Dr Beth Upton's presence in female facilities at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy
PA | Dr Beth Upton arrived at an employment tribunal at Caledonian House, in DundeeScottish Tory leader Russell Findlay demanded that NHS Fife’s board, including chief executive Carol Potter, resign over its "dire" handling of the case.
An NHS Fife spokesman said: "As this is an active legal case, it would be inappropriate to respond to these comments."
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “It would be inappropriate to comment further while judicial proceedings in an employment tribunal are ongoing.”