Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for first quarter 2020

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 2020, there were 45,100 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 21,100 (46.9%) people working in the Devolved Civil Service and 24,000 (53.1%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has increased by 1,480 (3.4%) between March 2019 and March 2020.

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 2,460 (13.1%) more people employed since March 2019.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the Devolved Civil Service in Scotland as of March 2020.^[6]

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 1 2020
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Scottish Government Core

In March 2020, there were 7,400 people employed in Scottish Government (SG) Core Directorates, which is 34.8% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Employment in SG Core Directorates was 680 (10.2%) higher in March 2020, compared with March 2019. This rise in employment is mainly due to the devolution of powers from the UK Government to the Scottish Government.^[7]

Scottish Government Agencies^[8]

There were 8,000 people employed in Scottish Government Agencies in March 2020. Employment in SG Agencies increased by 1,450 (22.2%) compared with March 2019.

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 2020, there were 3,800 people employed in these NMDs. This was 200 (5.5%) more than in March 2019.

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In March 2020, there were 2,000 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal, an increase of 130 (6.9%) since March 2019.

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the Reserved Civil Service was 970 (3.9%) lower than in March 2019, decreasing from 25,000 in March 2019 to 24,000 in March 2020.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at March 2020.

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 1 2020
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Department for Work and Pensions

In March 2020, there were 8,300 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Employment in DWP was 650 (7.3%) lower in March 2020, compared with March 2019.

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 7,800 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in March 2020, 310 (3.8%) lower than March 2019.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,100 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in March 2020, 0.8% lower than March 2019.

Other Civil Service^[9]

The number of people employed in Other Reserved Civil Service in March 2020 was 20 (0.6%) lower at 2,800 people.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in March 2020 was 900, 30 (3.5%) higher than March 2019.

Scotland Office

In March 2020, there were 90 people employed in the Scotland Office, an increase of 2.2% since March 2019.