Civil Servant responsibilities and work from home-related policies: FOI release

Information requested

1. (Question 1) An account/description of the responsibilities of Policy Officers in the Scottish Government .

2. (Question 2) An account/description of the responsibilities of Policy Managers in the Scottish Government.

3. (Question 3) The Scottish Government’s active work from home-related policies for its policy officers and policy managers.

4. (Question 4) A breakdown of the number policy officers and policy managers currently working for the Scottish Government by sub-department/directorate. Please also provide a breakdown of policy officer and policy manager numbers by the Scottish Minister they are attached to, if applicable, and the number that are not specifically attached to a Scottish Minister.

5. (Question 5) The highest single annual salary of a Policy Officer, and the highest single annual salary of a Policy Manager. (In both instances, the highest actual annual salary of someone working in the role and employed by the Scottish Government).

Response

Question 1

The use of terminology to identify grades varies across Civil Service organisations, and the Scottish Government does not use the language of ‘Policy Officers’ to identify work that takes place at specific grades – instead we refer to our grade structure. The responsibilities of colleagues at any grade will vary in response to the needs of their specific role, and the nature of policy work varies hugely across the work of a national government. Roles are described in terms of their responsibilities, but these vary from role to role, appropriate to grade. This is formal notice under S.17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Question 2

The use of terminology to identify grades varies across Civil Service organisations, and the Scottish Government does not use the language of ‘Policy Managers’ to identify work that takes place at specific grades – instead we refer to our grade structure. The responsibilities of colleagues at any grade will vary in response to the needs of their specific role, and the nature of policy work varies hugely across the work of a national government. Roles are described in terms of their responsibilities, but these vary from role to role, appropriate to grade. This is formal notice under S.17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Question 3

Please see attached the latest hybrid working and working from home policies/guidance for Scottish Government employees.

They consist of:

• Q1 – Document 1 – Hybrid Working
• Q1 – Document 2 – Hybrid Working Terms and Conditions
• Q1 – Document 3 – Working from home

Remote working policies apply to the Scottish Government as a whole organisation, and do not vary by professional grouping.

Question 4

As above, the Scottish Government does not use the language of policy officers and managers to describe work that takes place at specific grades so we are not able to provide grade-based information in response to this query as it is unclear for which grades the information is being requested. The total number of officials working in policy roles at all grades within the Scottish Government and related public bodies is approximately four thousand – this total varies slightly depending on the stage of recruitment for active posts. This is formal notice under S.17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Question 5

As above, the Scottish Government does not use the language of policy officers and managers to describe work that takes place at specific grades so we are not able to provide grade-based information in response to this query as it is unclear for which grades the information is being requested. The salaries of permanent employees within the Scottish Government are determined by grade-based pay scales, which set out the minimum and maximum range for salaries which apply to all colleagues. Information about current pay ranges for all grades is publicly available and can be found here: Financial rewards - Scottish Government Jobs

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.

FOI 202500447205 - Information released - Annex

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