Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for fourth quarter 2017

Statistics based on administrative records and surveys of individual public sector bodies.


5. Civil Service Employment in Scotland; Headcount

(see Tables 6 and 7)

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

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

In Q3 2017, there were 42,700 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 17,200 (40.2%) people working in the devolved civil service and 25,600 (59.8%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has increased by 720 (+1.7%) over the year from 42,000 in Q3 2016 to 42,700 in Q3 2017.

Devolved Civil Service

The devolved civil service has increased by 320 (+1.9%) since Q3 2016.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the devolved civil service in Scotland as of Q3 2017 [5] .

Chart 6: Breakdown of Devolved Civil Service Employment, Scotland, Headcount, Q3 2017
Chart 6: Breakdown of Devolved Civil Service Employment, Scotland, Headcount, Q3 2017

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 3 2017
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Scottish Government Core

In Q3 2017, there were 5,700 people employed in Scottish Government ( SG) core directorates, representing 33.1% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Over the year to Q3 2017, employment in SG core directorates increased by 290 (+5.3%).

Scottish Government Agencies [6]

There were 6,200 people employed in Scottish Government agencies in Q3 2017. Employment in SG agencies has decreased by 120 (-1.9%) over the year.

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) and Food Standards Scotland (from April 2015). In Q3 2017, there were 3,600 people employed in these NMDs. This increased by 180 (+5.2%) over the year.

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In Q3 2017, there were 1,700 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal. Over the year to Q3 2017, employment in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal decreased by 30 (-1.6%).

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the reserved civil service has increased by 400 (+1.6%), from 25,200 in Q3 2016 to 25,600 in Q3 2017.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at Q3 2017.

Chart 7: Breakdown of Headcount Employment in the UK Government Departments as of Q3 2017
Chart 7: Breakdown of Headcount Employment in the UK Government Departments as of Q3 2017

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 3 2017
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Department for Work and Pensions

In Q3 2017, there were 9,600 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP). Over the year from Q3 2016, employment in DWP has increased by 20 (+0.2%). [7]

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 8,900 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in Q3 2017, an increase of 190 (+2.2%) since Q3 2016.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,100 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in Q3 2017. This has increased by 50 (+1.3%) since Q3 2016.

Other Civil Service [8]

The number of people employed in Other Reserved Civil Service in Q3 2017 was 2,100. This has increased by 40 (+1.7%) since Q3 2016.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in Q3 2017 was 800, an increase of 110 (+17.1%) over the year.

Scotland Office

In Q3 2017, there were 70 people employed in the Scotland Office, a decrease of 10 (-13.8%) over the year.

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