The Civil Service

The civil service helps the government of the day develop and implement its policies as well as deliver public services. Civil servants are accountable to ministers, who in turn are accountable to Parliament.

The Permanent Secretary is the most senior civil servant in Scotland and leads more than 7000 staff within the core Scottish Government and has oversight of around 125 agencies.

The government is structured into a number of directorates and their related public bodies. Directorates and agencies are managed by directors-general.

Permanent Secretary and directors-general

John-Paul Marks

Permanent Secretary
Louise Macdonald

Director-General Communities
Responsibilities (6)
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Covid Recovery and Public Service Reform Directorate

Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate

Local Government and Housing Directorate

Social Security Directorate

Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice Directorate

Ukraine Resettlement Directorate
Ken Thomson

Director-General Strategy and External Affairs
Responsibilities (6)
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Constitution Directorate

Culture and Major Events Directorate

EU Directorate

External Affairs Directorate

Parliamentary Counsel Office

Performance, Delivery and Resilience Directorate
Lesley Fraser

Director-General Corporate
Responsibilities (9)
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Communications and Ministerial Support Directorate

Corporate Transformation and Workplace Directorate

Covid Inquiries Response Directorate

Digital Directorate

Financial Management Directorate

Legal Services (Solicitor to the Scottish Government)

People Directorate

Propriety and Ethics Directorate

Scottish Procurement and Property Directorate
Gregor Irwin

Director-General Economy
Responsibilities (5)
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Chief Economist Directorate

Culture and Major Events Directorate

Economic Development Directorate

Economic Strategy and Fair Work Directorate

International Trade and Investment Directorate
Joe Griffin

Director-General Education and Justice
Responsibilities (7)
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Children and Families Directorate

Early Learning and Childcare Directorate

Education Reform Directorate

Justice Directorate

Learning Directorate

Lifelong Learning and Skills Directorate

Safer Communities Directorate
Caroline Lamb

Chief Executive of NHS Scotland and Director-General Health and Social Care
Responsibilities (12)
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Chief Medical Officer Directorate

Chief Nursing Officer Directorate

Chief Operating Officer, NHS Scotland Directorate

Digital Health and Care Directorate

Health Finance, Corporate Governance and Value

Health Workforce Directorate

Healthcare Quality and Improvement Directorate

Mental Health Directorate

People, Appointments and Governance

Population Health Directorate

Primary Care Directorate

Social Care and National Care Service Development
Roy Brannen

Director-General Net Zero
Responsibilities (5)
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Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate

Energy and Climate Change Directorate

Environment and Forestry Directorate

Marine Scotland Directorate

Offshore Wind Directorate
Alyson Stafford CBE

Director-General Scottish Exchequer
Responsibilities (4)
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Budget and Public Spending Directorate

Fiscal Sustainability and Exchequer Development Directorate

Internal Audit and Assurance Directorate

Tax and Revenues Directorate

Non-executive directors

Non-executive directors (NXDs) support the Permanent Secretary, directors-general and other senior managers in the leadership of the Scottish Government.