Civil servants in Scotland staffing and salary statistics: FOI release
- Published
- 16 January 2025
- Directorate
- People Directorate
- Topic
- Public sector, Work and skills
- FOI reference
- FOI/202400439660
- Date received
- 7 November 2024
- Date responded
- 4 December 2024
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
1. Total number of civil servants in Scotland by headcount and whole-time equivalent.
2. Total number of civil servants employed by the Scottish Government by headcount and whole-time equivalent.
3. Total number of civil servants in Scotland employed by the Scottish Government by headcount and whole-time equivalent.
4. For each of (1), (2), and (3), the number of those who:
a. Have a salary of £100,000 or higher.
b. Have a compensation package in some way linked to performance
c. Have a salary of £150,000 or higher.
d. Have a salary of £200,000 or higher.
Response
Question 1
Information on the number of civil servants employed in Scotland (including both devolved and reserved civil servants) is available via the Public Sector Employment Statistics as at 30 June 2024, which is published by the Scottish Government. Tables 5 and 6 in the accompanying spreadsheet provide the relevant information by full-time equivalent.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Question 2
This information is available in the Scottish Government workforce information - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) statistics as at 30 June 2024.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Question 3
This information can be accessed by using the Cabinet Office’s Civil Service statistics Data browser tool Civil Service Statistics data browser (2024) (cabinetoffice.gov.uk).
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
Question 4
In relation to question 1
Data for Q4) has been requested in relation to the total number of Civil Servants in Scotland by headcount and whole-time equivalent. Although the Civil Service Statistics bulletin publishes the total numbers of Civil Service salaries in excess of £100k, £150k, and £200k, it does not publish a regional breakdown. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold the data that you have requested, given the Scottish Government is not the employer of all Civil Servants in Scotland.
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. You may wish to contact the Cabinet Office regarding whether they hold this information.
In relation to question 2
Regarding questions 4a), 4c), and 4d), The Scottish Government publishes information in relation to civil servants earning over £100,000 a year on an annual basis on Senior Civil Service pay - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). The most recent publication was made in May 2024 and can be found on Senior Civil Service pay: March 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
No Civil Servants employed by the Scottish Government have a compensation package in some way linked to performance, in line with the Scottish Public Sector pay policy on performance related payments.
In relation to question 3
The same response applies in relation to question 3, as it does in relation to question 2.
Only one Civil Servant employed by the Scottish Government, earns over £100k, in a role based outside of Scotland. This role is the EU Director, who is based at Scotland House, Brussels.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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