Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for third quarter 2019

5. Civil Service Employment in Scotland; Headcount

(see Tables 5 and 6)

This section provides a summary of the civil service in Scotland.

In September 2019, there were 44,900 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 20,300 (45.3%) people working in the Devolved Civil Service and 24,600 (54.7%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has increased by 2,070 (4.8%) between September 2018 and September 2019.

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 2,510 (14.1%) more people employed since September 2018.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the Devolved Civil Service in Scotland as of September 2019.^[7]

Chart 6: Breakdown of Devolved Civil Service Employment in Scotland as at September 2019, Headcount

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 3 2019
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Scottish Government Core

In September 2019, there were 6,900 people employed in Scottish Government (SG) Core Directorates, which is 34.1% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Employment in SG Core Directorates was 740 (12.0%) higher in September 2019, compared with September 2018. This rise in employment is mainly due to the devolution of powers from the UK Government to the Scottish Government.^[8]

Scottish Government Agencies^[9]

There were 7,700 people employed in Scottish Government Agencies in September 2019. Employment in SG Agencies increased by 1,430 (22.6%) compared with September 2018.

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 September 2019, there were 3,700 people employed in these NMDs. This was 170 (4.7%) more than in September 2018.

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In September 2019, there were 1,900 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal, an increase of 170 (9.5%) since September 2018.

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the Reserved Civil Service was 430 (1.7%) lower than in September 2018, decreasing from 25,000 in September 2018 to 24,600 in September 2019.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at September 2019.

Chart 7: Breakdown of Employment in the UK Government Departments as of September 2019

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 3 2019
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Department for Work and Pensions

In September 2019, there were 8,400 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Employment in DWP was 590 (6.6%) lower in September 2019, compared with September 2018.

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 8,100 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in September 2019, 140 (1.7%) lower than September 2018.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,100 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in September 2019, 20 (0.4%) higher than September 2018.

Other Civil Service^[10]

The number of people employed in Other Reserved Civil Service in September 2019 was 180 (6.9%) higher at 2,800 people.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in September 2019 was 1,000, 90 (10.7%) higher than September 2018.

Scotland Office

In September 2019, there were 90 people employed in the Scotland Office, an increase of 10 (10.1%) since September 2018.