About public sector employment statistics

Data collection and validation process

Public Sector Employment data collection

Scottish Public Sector Employment Statistics presents quarterly headcount and full-time equivalent data for public sector employees in Scotland. The Scottish Government uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) definitions of public sector organisations, based on National Accounts, and works with the ONS to collect the data.

The Scottish Government collects all local government data (Joint Staffing Watch collection) and data for smaller public bodies and reserved civil service offices located in Scotland (Public Bodies Employment collection).

The Office for National Statistics collect estimates for the majority of public bodies and public corporations in Scotland, see Annex B.

Information is also obtained from other sources, including NHS, Ministry of Defence, and Civil Service Statistics:

• NHS Scotland Workforce
• Location of all UK regular service and civilian personnel annual statistics
• Civil Service Statistics

The Scottish public sector employment series is provided to the Office for National Statistics each quarter for publication in the Public Sector Employment UK statistical bulletin.

The accuracy of the estimates produced within the PSE series rely on data providers accurately reporting their employee headcount and full time equivalent data to the Scottish Government and Office for National Statistics.

To ensure that the data provided to the Scottish Government is as accurate as possible the following processes are followed.

Secure data collection and validation via ProcXed data exchange system

Data providers enter the data in a secure data exchange system. The ProcXed system conducts automated validation checks (comparing the most recent data to the previous quarter and year) and requests reasons where increases or decreases are greater than expected. It also ensures that the data is transferred and stored securely. See Annex A for a copy of the data returns form.

More information on the ProcXed system can be found at the ProcXEd section of this website.

Data collection guidance

Data providers are encouraged to check their data and provide it to a high degree of accuracy. We provide guidance to ensure that the data collection requirements are clear.

Data validation

Scottish Government checks

We check the data as we collect it, querying anomalies with the data providers and asking for further detail on the reasons for any large increases or decreases, if necessary. Checks include ensuring that FTE is not higher than headcount and that the changes from the last quarter and last year are not excessive. We ask organisations to amend and resubmit the data where any errors are found. 

Sponsorship team checks

For public bodies, we contact sponsorship teams (usually teams working in the Scottish Government or other government bodies with close links to the organisation) who review and confirm the data is correct. Where sponsorship teams question the data, we ask public bodies to review and revise their data or explain why the data is correct.

Revisions

We support data providers to revise any incorrect data to ensure ongoing accuracy of the series. The ProcXed system allows the previous quarter to be updated when entering new data and further revisions can be provided, as required.

Revisions are clearly indicated in the publications and web tables. Please see the Public Sector Employment Statistics revisions policy for further information.

Data collection and validation flow chart

Annex A: ProcXed data returns screen

Annex B: Office For National Statistics 

The Office for National Statistics’ Quarterly Public Sector Employment Surveys (QPSES) collect information from local government, the civil service and public bodies using an online survey. This includes data for Scotland for civil service units, public bodies and public corporations. More information can be found at this page of the Office for National Statistics' website.