Social Security Scotland recruitment of Project Lead post: FOI release

Information requested

Information regarding recruitment for a particular post with Social Security Scotland. We have interpreted these requests for information on recruitment to relate to the Temporary Responsibility Supplement (TRS) Project Lead post, with three requests relating to the workforce in general.

1. How many people applied for the recent Project Lead Post?

2. How many people were interviewed for the recent Project Lead Post?

3. Was there a reserve list; if so how many candidates have been retained?

4. What was the gender balance of applications for the Project Lead Post?

5. What was the gender balance of those interviewed for the Project Lead Post?

6. How many applicants applied under the guaranteed interview scheme for the recent Project Lead Post?

7. How many applicants who applied for the Project Lead post, were from a diverse ethnic minority?

8. Was the interview panel for the recent Project Lead post made up of two or three panel members?

9. Was the lead panel member for the Project Lead post, impartial and not a member of Social Security Scotland, if not was the lead panel member also the recruiting manager?

10. How many members of staff working for Social Security Scotland have moved from a modern apprentice position to a B3 position within a four year time scale?

11. What is the average rate of progression within Social Security Scotland? Request for Information

12. Currently how many members of staff are on temporary promotions?

Response

1 and 2. We consider that this information is exempt under Section 38(1) (b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The reason for this is that we consider that the information is personal data which, if released, could lead to the identification of individuals and contravene the data protection principles.

In order to assist you, and to protect the identities of those involved, we can provide a suppressed range. Where the answer is zero this would be disclosed and not be withheld.

In this case we can confirm that fewer than five individuals applied for the recent Project Lead Post. All applicants were interviewed.

3. There was no reserve list.

4. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we do not hold information on the gender balance of applications for the Project Lead post.

5. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we do not hold information on the gender balance of those interviewed for the Project Lead post.

6. The guaranteed interview process is not offered for Temporary Responsibility Supplement posts.

7. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we do not hold information on the ethnicity of the applicants.

8. The panel comprised two people.

9. Both panel members were employees of Social Security Scotland (standard for Temporary Responsibility Supplement recruitment). One was the Recruitment Manager and one was from another team unrelated to the post.

10. We consider that this information is exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The reason for this is that we consider that the information is personal data which, if released, could lead to the identification of individuals and contravene the data protection principles.

In order to assist you, and to protect the identities of those involved, we can provide a suppressed range. Where the answer is zero this would be disclosed and not be withheld. In this case we can confirm that fewer than five individuals working for Social Security have moved from a modern apprentice position to a B3 position within a four year time scale. This includes positions filled on both Temporary Responsibility Supplement or substantive terms.

Staff receive Temporary Responsibility Supplement when they temporarily take on the duties of a post in a higher pay range.

11. In order to calculate an average rate of progression, all time staff data which tracks all past and present members of staff across all the various roles which they have held within the organisation is required. Whilst we have data on our current workforce which we use for our official workforce statistics Social Security Scotland statistics: publications - gov.scot (www.gov.scot); we do not hold workforce data in the structure required to calculate an average rate of progression. Therefore, whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we do not hold that information.

12. As of the date of your request, 88 members of Social Security Scotland staff were on temporary promotions.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.