The SNP has called for a reduction in the number of Scottish civil servants and a renewed focus on child protection.

The intervetion came as figures released in a parliamentary written answer revealed a 25 per cent increase in civil service numbers in four years.

John Swinney, who is also warning that the number of child social work vacancies left unfilled is rising, vowed to reverse the increase.

He said the SNP would use the £500 million saved to invest in child protection.

"No one can seriously believe that Scotland is better governed under the Executive than pre-devolution. There is massive disillusionment among the public with Labour's failure to make a real difference," he said

"Yet instead of focusing on the public's priorities, ministers seem to have spent their time expanding their own personal fiefdoms."

Scotland's social services have come under fire following the death of 11-week-old baby Caleb Ness.

The baby's father Alexander Ness was jailed for 11 years earlier this year after he admitted shaking Caleb to death.

At the time of the baby's death Ness was still on licence after early release from a five-year prison sentence.

Edinburgh City Council's social work department was last week severely criticised following an investigation into the death.

"It beggars belief that ministers are wasting millions on extra bureaucrats when cases such as the Caleb Ness tragedy reveal the full horror of the crisis in children's services," said Swinney.

"Since 2000, vacancies in children's services have more than doubled.

"Social workers themselves are admitting that some children in desperate need of care never even see a social worker.

"Cutting bureaucrat numbers back to 1999 levels would save something in the order of £50 million a year and that is exactly what I am proposing to do.

"That money should be invested where it can make a real difference by putting it directly into children's services.

"The question ministers have to answer is simple; what do they think is more important, more pen pushers or fewer tragedies like that of Caleb Ness?"