Scottish Government staff pay band information: FOI release

Information requested

1. Over the last 10 years, what has been the trend and percentage increase of each pay band over that time frame?

2. How does the percentage increase of the lowest pay band compare to the median salary increase over that period?

Response

Response to Question 1

For each A-C and Marine grade, we have used the published salary maximum as at 31st March each year as our reference point, starting with 31st March 2015 and ending with 31st March 2025.

We have provided this information in nominal and in real terms (i.e. to show the percentage values adjusted for inflation in the relevant period). The percentage increase in real terms pay has been calculated by deflating the March 2025 pay rates using the ONS CPIH index Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) - Office for National Statistics using the March 2025 index value of 136.1 compared to the March 2015 index value of 99.6.

For Senior Civil Servants (SCS) in Scottish Government Core, we have provided the percentage change in median salary for each grade on both a nominal and real terms basis. SCS pay bands are reserved to the Cabinet Office and the pay band maximum has not changed in that period, however, annual pay awards have been applied to SCS pay hence why we have used the median for those grades.

There has been an upwards trend across all pay ranges in nominal terms reflecting the outcome of annual pay awards reached through collective bargaining with our recognised trade unions. In real terms, there has been an upwards trend in relation to some of our pay ranges generally at our lower pay ranges, and a downwards trend in relation to the remainder which are generally at our higher pay ranges. This reflects that, in line with Scottish Ministers Public Sector Pay Policy, higher pay awards have been targeted at the lower paid during this period.

Scottish Government

Grade	Nominal percentage Increase (%) in salary between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025	Real percentage Increase (%) in salary between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025
A3	49.78	9.61
A4	43.45	4.98
B1	36.45	-0.14
B2	36.14	-0.37
B3	33.43	-2.35
BF	34.75	-1.39
C1	33.43	-2.36
C2	31.55	-3.73
C3	28.51	-5.95

Scottish Government Marine

Grade	Nominal percentage Increase (%) in salary between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025	Real percentage Increase (%) in salary between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025
1A / MM	51.45	10.83
PO (D/MM)	53.80	12.56
Cook	50.41	10.07
Chief Steward / CPO	51.46	10.84
3rd Engineer / 2nd Officer	44.45	5.71
2ND Engineer (2ENG) / 1st Officer Safety	40.25	2.64
2nd Engineer (Chief) / 1st Officer (Exec)	39.58	2.15
Chief Engineer / Safety Super	37.12	0.35
Commanding Officer	36.56	-0.06
Engineer Super	36.19	-0.33
Marine Super	35.87	-0.57

Senior Civil Service

Grade	Nominal percentage Increase (%) in median salary between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025	Real percentage Increase (%) in median salary between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025
SCS 1	38.24	1.16
SCS 1A*	24.55	-8.85
SCS 2	22.46	-10.38
SCS 3	18.92	-12.97

* SCS 1A is a closed grade under the Cabinet Office SCS pay framework. However, a small number of employees remain in this grade on a legacy basis.

Response to Question 2

The nominal median salary increase over that period was 59.44% compared to 49.78% for A3 (our lowest pay band). In real terms, the median salary increase over that period was 16.68% compared to 9.61% for A3. The increase in median salary reflects the outcome of annual pay awards reached through collective bargaining with our recognised trade unions as well as the change in the distribution of the numbers of staff across each grade which has changed significantly during this period.

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