Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for first quarter 2021

5. Civil Service Employment in Scotland; Headcount

(see Tables 5 and 6)

This section provides a summary of the civil service in Scotland.

In March 2021, there were 47,000 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 22,200 (47.3%) people working in the Devolved Civil Service and 24,800 (52.7%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has increased by 1,630 (3.6%) between March 2020 and March 2021.

The devolved civil service is made up of:

• Scottish Government Core Departments
• Scottish Government Agencies
• Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
• Non-Ministerial Departments

The reserved civil service is made up of:

• UK Government Departments
• Scotland Office

Devolved Civil Service

The Devolved Civil Service has 1,100 (5.2%) more people employed in March 2021 than in March 2020.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the Devolved Civil Service in Scotland as of March 2021^[10].

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 1 2021

Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Scottish Government Core

In March 2021, there were 7,800 people employed in Scottish Government (SG) Core Directorates, which is 35.1% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Employment in SG Core Directorates was 450 (6.1%) higher in March 2021, compared with March 2020.

Scottish Government Agencies^[11]

There were 8,600 people employed in Scottish Government Agencies in March 2021. Employment in SG Agencies increased by 580 (7.3%) compared with March 2020.

Non Ministerial Departments

Non Ministerial Departments (NMD) include National Records of Scotland, Registers of Scotland, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Scottish Housing Regulator (from April 2012), Revenue Scotland (from January 2015), Food Standards Scotland (from April 2015) and Scottish Fiscal Commission (from September 2017). In March 2021, there were 3,800 people employed in these NMDs. This was 10 (0.1%) more than in March 2020.

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In March 2021, there were 2,000 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal, an increase of 60 (3.0%) since March 2020.

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the Reserved Civil Service was 530 (2.2%) higher than in March 2020, increasing from 24,300 in March 2020 to 24,800 in March 2021.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at March 2021.

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 1 2021 Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding

Department for Work and Pensions

In March 2021, there were 8,800 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Employment in DWP was 560 (6.8%) higher in March 2021 compared with March 2020.

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 7,700 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in March 2021, 70 (-0.9%) fewer than March 2020.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,100 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in March 2021, 30 (0.8%) higher than March 2020.

Other Civil Service^[12]

The number of people employed in Other Reserved Civil Service in March 2021 was 3,100, 10 (-0.3%) fewer than March 2020.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in March 2021 was 1,000, 20 (1.9%) higher than March 2020.

Scotland Office

In March 2021, there were 90 people employed in the Scotland Office, the same as in March 2020.