Thanks to a raft of leaks, we already knew about some of the big cuts in Shona Robison’s statement.

We knew that the Scottish Government was pausing a scheme providing free iPads and laptops to people who are "digitally excluded."

We knew that councils were going to be asked to take cash away from specific existing programmes, like flood defence spending.

We knew too that peak fares on ScotRail were going to make a comeback.

We also knew that emergency spending controls were being put in place - with government departments told to stop recruitment, ban overtime, and cut down on travel.

And we knew too that the Scottish Government was going to ask its marketing department to stop spending cash on agencies and adverts.

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Yesterday, as parliament returned after its nine-week summer break, and the Finance Secretary delivered her “pre-budget fiscal update” we learned that these savings were worth about £125m.

But we also learned that the black hole in Scotland’s public finances is closer to £1bn.

Most of that is a result of higher-than-expected public sector pay deals.

The gap between what Ms Robison budgeted for and what she will need to pay is roughly £800m.

To get there she drew down £460m pounds from the ScotWind money generated by the sale of Scotland’s sea bed for energy generation. It was supposed to help pay for the transition to Net Zero.

The minister also announced cuts of £500m, including £116m from health and social care.

Though a significant sum, that represents just a fraction of the £19.5 billion funding allocated for the 2024/25 financial year.

Nevertheless, the total saving includes a hard to defend £18.8m cut to mental health services.

Who’s to blame?

There is no doubt that uncertainty from Westminster and the decision by Rachel Reeves to partly fund pay hikes through efficiencies has caused headaches for Ms Robison and colleagues.

But, as the Scottish Fiscal Commission concluded last week, much of the financial pressure facing the SNP Government is because of their own choices.

Some of those choices, they will stand proudly by, including social security reforms, and higher pay deals for public sector staff than in other parts of the UK.

But Humza Yousaf’s council tax freeze looms large. That was a £150m spend that disproportionately benefited wealthier households, according to research by the IPPR.

When he first became First Minister, John Swinney said his “single most important objective" in the role would be to eradicate child poverty.

It is a promise he will re-commit himself to this afternoon when he sets out his legislative and policy priorities for the year ahead.

Just think what he could have done with another £150m.

The problem for the First Minister and Ms Robison is that this might not be over.

Earlier on Tuesday, Unison said their members had voted to reject the latest council pay offer, potentially meaning industrial action by waste and recycling workers at 13 councils, and for education and early years staff at five councils.

And there’s the £160m for the now scrapped universal winter fuel payment. That was a saving yesterday, but it will have to be paid back to the UK Government at some point.

Ms Robison fiscal update might just be the start of cuts to come.