Number and cost of press, communications and media officers: FOI release

Information requested

1. The total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) press and/or communications and/or media officers employed over the last five financial years (broken down by year).

2. The total cost (including salaries, benefits, and other associated costs) of employing these press and/or communications and/or media officers over the last five financial years (broken down by year).

Response

The numbers of full-time equivalent (FTE) press officers in the Communications Division varies throughout the financial year and the figures represent staff numbers on just one day of each year (31 March, i.e., in the table below, under 2020-21 the figure shows the position on 31 March 2021). This means that these figures are a 'snapshot': they do not represent either a total number or average number of staff employed in the year.

The cost of press officers within communications is pro-actively published, this information is available Communications staff (press officers): costs - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

FTE for 2020-2021 has been published in a previous FOI response: Full-time equivalent media officers: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

FTE for 2021-2022 has been published in a previous FOI response: Media officers employed by the Scottish Government: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Please find below information, detailing the costs for press officers within communications division for each financial year including FTE ‘snapshot’ figures.

Full year Press Officer Costs:

2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
£3,409,375	£3,739,924	£4,097,722	£4,133,862	*

‘Snapshot’ Press Officer FTE:

2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
54.9	53.6	52.8	51.4	*

*FTE and Costs for the financial year 2024-25 are not available until the end of the financial year. The costs for 2024-25 will be published on the Scottish Government website within 12 weeks of the end of the current financial year: Communications staff (press officers): costs - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and an FTE snapshot from the full financial year can be provided after 31 March 2025.

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