Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for third quarter 2016

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 2016, there were 42,200 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 16,800 (39.9%) people working in the devolved civil service and 25,400 (60.1%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has decreased by 1,360 (-3.1%) over the year from 43,600 in Q3 2015 to 42,200 in Q3 2016.

Devolved Civil Service

The devolved civil service has decreased by 1,190 (-6.6%) since Q3 2015.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the devolved civil service in Scotland as at Q3 2016 ^[4] .

Chart 6: Breakdown of Devolved Civil Service Employment, Scotland, Headcount, Q3 2016

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 3 2016

Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Scottish Government Core

In Q3 2016, there were 5,400 people employed in Scottish Government ( SG) core directorates, representing 32.0% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Over the year to Q3 2016, employment in SG core directorates increased by 70 (+1.3%).

Scottish Government Agencies

There were 6,300 people employed in Scottish Government agencies in Q3 2016. Employment in SG agencies has decreased by 1,310 (-17.2%) over the year. This was mainly due to Historic Scotland no longer being part of the civil service and merging with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland to become Historic Environment Scotland, a non-departmental public body.

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 2016, there were 3,400 people employed in these NMDs. This remained fairly constant over the year (increased by 10 (+0.3%)).

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In Q3 2016, there were 1,700 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal. Over the year to Q3 2016, employment in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal remained fairly constant (increased by 40 (+2.4%)).

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the reserved civil service has decreased by 170 (-0.7%), from 25,500 in Q3 2015 to 25,400 in Q3 2016.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at Q3 2016.

Chart 7: Breakdown of Headcount Employment in the UK Government Departments as at Q3 2016

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 3 2016
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Department for Work and Pensions

In Q3 2016, there were 9,600 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP). Over the year from Q3 2015, employment in DWP has increased by 90 (+1.0%).

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 8,700 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in Q3 2016, an decrease of 290 (-3.2%) since Q3 2015.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,000 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in Q3 2016. This has increased by 120 (+3.1%) since Q3 2015.

Other Civil Service ^[5]

The number of people employed in Other Civil Service in Q3 2016 was 2,300, this is a decrease of 140 (-5.8%) since Q3 2015.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in Q3 2016 was 700, an increase of 40 (+6.1%) over the year.

Scotland Office

In Q3 2016, there were 80 people employed in the Scotland Office.