Scottish Public Sector Employment

Public Sector Employment Statistics for Scotland, released today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician, show that there were 543,000 people employed in the public sector in Scotland in Q1 2017.

In Q1 2017, public sector employment accounted for 20.7 per cent of total employment in the country and private sector employment accounts for 79.3 per cent of total employment in Scotland.

The devolved public sector saw a net decrease of 1,370 (-0.3%) over the year. There were increases in headcount in NHS staff by 940 (+0.6%), public corporations by 240 (+3.2%), other public bodies by 100 (+0.6%), and devolved civil service by 80 (+0.5%). There were decreases in Police and Fire by 350 (-1.2%), Local Government by 2,160 (-0.9%) and further education college employees by 220 (-1.6%).

In Q1 2017, there were 22,590 young people aged 16-24 in employment in the devolved public sector, accounting for 4.6% of total employment in this sector. This was the same as the proportion of young people in employment in the devolved public sector in Q1 2016.

The figures released today were produced by independent statistical staff free from any political interference, in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Background

 The full National Statistics publication can be accessed.

In addition to the National Statistics publication there is also a Public Sector Employment Statistics Websection containing:
•Local government staffing by local authority and gender.
•Detailed tables showing a full-time series – all quarters back to Q1 1999.
•Further information on the number of youth employment (16-24) in the devolved public sector for Q1 2013, Q1 2014, Q1 2015, Q1 2016 and Q1 2017.

The data are not seasonally adjusted and therefore comparisons should only be made with the same quarter over time.

Devolved public bodies refer to public bodies which are the responsibility of the Scottish Government or Scottish Parliament. This includes the core Scottish Government and Agencies, Non-Ministerial Departments, Local Authorities, Police and Fire Services, NHS, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Public Corporations and other significant national bodies.

Further information on Labour Market statistics within Scotland.

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland.