Public Sector Employment in Scotland: statistics for fourth quarter 2017

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 Q4 2017, there were 42,500 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 17,300 (40.6%) people working in the devolved civil service and 25,200 (59.4%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has increased by 280 (+0.7%) over the year from 42,200 in Q4 2016 to 42,500 in Q4 2017.

Devolved Civil Service

The devolved civil service has increased by 430 (+2.5%) since Q4 2016.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the devolved civil service in Scotland as of Q4 2017 ^[5] .

Chart 6: Breakdown of Devolved Civil Service Employment, Scotland, Headcount, Q4 2017

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2017

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

Scottish Government Core

In Q4 2017, there were 5,800 people employed in Scottish Government ( SG) core directorates, representing 33.5% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Over the year to Q4 2017, employment in SG core directorates increased by 400 (+7.5%).

Scottish Government Agencies ^[6]

There were 6,100 people employed in Scottish Government agencies in Q4 2017. Employment in SG agencies has decreased by 110 (-1.8%) over the year.

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 Q4 2017, there were 3,600 people employed in these NMDs. This increased by 170 (+4.9%) over the year.

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In Q4 2017, there were 1,700 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal. Over the year to Q4 2017, employment in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal decreased by 30 (-1.8%).

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the reserved civil service has decreased by 150 (-0.6%), from 25,400 in Q4 2016 to 25,200 in Q4 2017.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at Q4 2017.

Chart 7: Breakdown of Headcount Employment in the UK Government Departments as of Q4 2017

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2017
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Department for Work and Pensions

In Q4 2017, there were 9,400 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP). Over the year from Q4 2016, employment in DWP has decreased by 170 (-1.8%).

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 8,800 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in Q4 2017, a decrease of 200 (-2.2%) since Q4 2016.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,100 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in Q4 2017. This has increased by 60 (+1.5%) since Q4 2016.

Other Civil Service ^[7]

The number of people employed in Other Reserved Civil Service in Q4 2017 was 2,100. This has increased by 40 (+1.7%) since Q4 2016.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in Q4 2017 was 800, an increase of 120 (+17.7%) over the year.

Scotland Office

In Q4 2017, there were 80 people employed in the Scotland Office, an increase of less than 10 (+1.4%) over the year.