Some of the key points are as follows:
(based on headcount)
• In Q2 2012 there were 580,100 people employed in the public sector in Scotland, a decrease of 16,700 (2.8%) since Q2 2011.
• There were 2,465,000 people in employment in Scotland in Q2 2012 a decrease of 1.0% from 2,489,000 in Q2 2011. In Q2 2012 public sector employment accounted for 23.5% of total employment, down from 24.0% in Q2 2011 and down from 24.3% in Q2 1999 (In 1999 financial institutions were not included in the public sector).
• Of the total 580,100 people employed in the public sector in Scotland, 487,600 (84%) is accounted for by public sector employment devolved to Scotland and 92,600 (16%) relates to reserved public sector employment.
• Total employment in the devolved public sector has decreased from 499,000 in Q2 2011 to 487,600 in Q2 2012, a decrease of 11,400 (2.3%) over the year. Employment has decreased in all sectors of the devolved public sector.
• The decrease in employment in the devolved public sector has been driven by a decrease in total local government employment decreased by 7,000 (2.4%) over the year to Q2 2012, employment in the NHS decreased by 1,900 (1.2%) and employment in further education colleges decreased by 1,300 (8.2%).
• Employment in the reserved public sector (located in Scotland) has decreased by 5,300 (5.4%) since Q2 2011. Within the reserved public sector the largest changes were for Public Sector Financial Institutions decreasing by 1,800 (5.4%) and the civil service category decreased over the year by 1,700 (5.5%) to 29,400.
• Within the reserved public sector, this decrease included: Ministry of Defence decreasing by 1,000 (17.4%) and Department for Work and Pensions decreasing by 500 (4.2%).
• If banks were not included in the series:
o Total public sector employment would have decreased by slightly less, 14,900 (2.7%), instead of 16,700 (2.8%) over the year.
o Employment in the reserved public sector in Scotland would have decreased by 3,500 (5.5%) instead of by 5,300 (5.4%) over the year.
N.B. Financial institutions are not included in the devolved public sector total.