Breakdown of Scottish Government chauffeur and driver spend: FOI release

Information requested

By financial year from 2015 to present:

1. (Question 1) Total expense by the Scottish Government on employing chauffeurs. Please list exact job titles you include. Please break this down by:
a. Wage bill
b. Employer taxes
c. Pension contributions
d. Severance/voluntary redundancy payments
e. Perks
f. Other (if applicable. Please break this down further by any significant sub-categories if these are stored).

2. (Question 2) Total expense by the Scottish Government on employing drivers (excluding chauffeurs). Please break this down by the same categories as specified in (1).

3. (Question 3) Average wage of Scottish Government-employed chauffeurs, both actual and full time equivalent.

4. (Question 4) Average wage of Scottish Government-employed drivers (excluding chauffeurs), both actual and full time equivalent.

Response

In relation to all questions, Scottish Government only holds information on job titles from the 2017-2018 Financial Year onwards. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

Information relates to Scottish Government Core Directorates only.

Question 1

The following job titles have been interpreted as falling under the scope of 'chauffeurs':

Chauffeur Job Titles

A3 Chauffeur

CHAUFFEUR

Chauffeur

GCS Chauffeur

GCS CHAUFFEUR

GCS Chauffeur

GCS Chauffuer

IRC89422E - A3 - GCS Chauffeur

a3Chauffeur

chauffeur

chauffuer/driver

gcs chauffeur

We have interpreted 'perks' as employee recognition reward mechanisms, which are commonly understood to be employee 'perks'. The table is broken down by wage costs, employer national insurance contributions, and pension contributions. The cost of severance/ voluntary redundancy payments, and other 'perks', was nil.

(£)	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	April 2024 to September 2024
Pension Contributions	73,143	74,888	107,805	119,029	120,699	136,003	130,930	77,627
Employer National Insurance	53,117	54,360	52,684	42,993	45,203	63,701	63,164	34,072
Wage Costs	518,193	535,217	538,845	487,390	495,528	618,713	613,860	330,279
Total Expense	644,452	664,465	699,334	649,411	661,430	818,417	807,955	441,978

Question 2

The following job titles have been interpreted as falling under the scope of 'drivers (excluding chauffeurs):

Other Driver Job Titles

GCS Driver

HGV Driver and Handyperson

Handyman and Driver

IOVS - Driver

IOVS - Van Driver

IOVS DRIVER

Logistics Assistant / Driver

Logistics Assistant/Driver

Ships and Logistics, Handyman and Driver

Trainee Tractor Driver

van driver

We have interpreted 'perks' as employee recognition reward mechanisms, which are commonly understood to be employee 'perks'. The table is broken down by wage costs, employer national insurance contributions, and pension contributions. The cost of severance/ voluntary redundancy payments, and other 'perks', was nil.

	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	April 2024 to September 2024
Pension Contributions	20,561	21,468	40,879	41,379	31,977	33,880	25,240	15,530
Employer National Insurance	13,344	14,335	19,656	15,797	12,872	15,952	11,077	5,212
Wage Costs	136,005	144,927	202,829	175,960	137,496	155,661	112,102	55,962
Total Expense	169,910	180,730	263,363	233,135	182,346	205,493	148,419	76,705

Question 3

The table below sets out the average wage of Scottish Government employed chauffeurs (both actual and FTE), for the same period. Please note that salary information provided reflects substantive salaries, which is then multiplied by FTE to get the actual salary. Staff identified are based on the data as at 31 March at the end of the financial year, and salaries are as at 31 March (or 30 September for the 2024-2025 Financial Year).

Total staff as at end of financial year	17	17	21	20	21	20	19	20
Mean Actual Salary (£)	19,982	20,254	20,668	21,417	22,435	24,597	26,239	27,552
Mean Salary FTE (£)	19,982	20,732	21,069	21,853	22,868	24,597	26,239	27,552

​​​​​​​Question 4

​​​​​​​The table below sets out the average wage of Scottish Government employed drivers (excluding chauffeurs) (both actual and FTE), for the same period. Please note that salary information provided reflects substantive salaries, which is then multiplied by FTE to get the actual salary. Staff identified are based on the data as at 31 March at the end of the financial year, and salaries are as at 31 March (or 30 September for the 2024-2025 Financial Year).

Total staff as at end of financial year	6	6	7	7	5	5	5	4
Mean Actual Salary (£)	19,397	19,952	21,017	22,077	23,233	24,888	25,473	26,683
Mean Salary FTE (£)	19,397	19,952	21,017	22,077	23,233	24,888	25,473	26,683

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.