Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for fourth quarter 2013

Footnotes

1. More information on the classification of organisations and institutions in the National Accounts are available in the Sector Classification Guide (MA23): http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-224305

2. Public Sector Financial Institutions includes: Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc, Lloyds Banking Group plc, Northern Rock plc and Lloyds TSB commercial banking. These are Public Financial Corporations and SIC 64

3. Employment in Local Government in Scotland over the last year has been largely affected by the reclassification of police and fire services to central government and transfers of staff to the NHS.

4. In April 2013 the Scottish Agricultural College ( SAC) merged with 3 colleges to form Scotland's Rural College. This new organisation is classified as a public body (as the SAC was). This has resulted in staffing levels moving from the Further Education to Other Public Bodies categories to reflect the merger of these organisations.

5. The increase in employment in the public sector financial institutions is the result of a revision to the underlying data, implemented by the Office for National Statistics ( ONS). Because of the way in which the underlying data are reported to the ONS this change has resulted in a step change seen in the PSE data series in 2013.

6. Employment in reserved public corporations over the last year has been significantly affected by the reclassification of both Royal Mail Plc. and Direct Line Group now into the private sector.

7. The increase in employment in the public sector financial institutions is the result of a revision to the underlying data, implemented by the Office for National Statistics ( ONS). Because of the way in which the underlying data are reported to the ONS this change has resulted in a step change seen in the PSE data series in 2013.

8. When interpreting changes over time in the devolved civil service in Scotland it should be noted that due to organisational changes, staff have transferred between the Scottish Government core directorates and agencies. Detail about the above changes can be found in the background notes. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Labour-Market/PublicSectorEmployment/SourcesDef