Public sector employment in Scotland: statistics for fourth quarter 2018

5. Civil Service Employment in Scotland; Headcount

(see Tables 6 and 7)

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

In December 2018, there were 42,700 people employed as civil servants in Scotland. This is made up of 18,200 (42.6%) people working in the Devolved Civil Service and 24,500 (57.4%) working in UK government departments. The total number of civil servants has increased by 260 (0.6%) between December 2017 and December 2018.

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 930 (5.4%) more people employed since December 2017.

Chart 6 shows a breakdown of the Devolved Civil Service in Scotland as of December 2018^[9].

Chart 6: Breakdown of Devolved Civil Service Employment in Scotland as at December 2018, Headcount

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2018
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Scottish Government Core

In December 2018, there were 6,500 people employed in Scottish Government (SG) Core Directorates, which is 35.5% of the devolved civil service in Scotland. Employment in SG Core Directorates was 660 (11.4%) higher in December 2018, compared with December 2017. This rise in employment is mainly due to the devolution of powers from the UK Government to the Scottish Government^[10].

Scottish Government Agencies^[11]

There were 6,400 people employed in Scottish Government Agencies in December 2018. Employment in SG Agencies increased by 250 (4.1%) compared with December 2017.

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 December 2017). In December 2018, there were 3,600 people employed in these NMDs. This was 30 (0.9%) less than in December 2017.

Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal

In December 2018, there were 1,800 people employed in the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal, an increase of 60 (3.2%).

Reserved Civil Service

Employment in the Reserved Civil Service was 670 (2.7%) lower than in December 2017, decreasing from 25,200 in December 2017 to 24,500 in December 2018.

Chart 7 identifies the breakdown of headcount employment in UK government departments as at December 2018.

Chart 7: Breakdown of Employment in the UK Government Departments as of December 2018

Source: Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Quarter 4 2018
Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual parts due to rounding.

Department for Work and Pensions

In December 2018, there were 9,000 people employed in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Employment in DWP was 400 (4.2%) lower in December 2018, compared with December 2017.

HM Revenue and Customs

There were 8,200 people employed in HM Revenue and Customs in December 2018, 600 (6.9%) lower than December 2017.

Ministry of Defence

There were 4,100 people employed in the Ministry of Defence in December 2018, 50 (1.3%) higher than December 2017.

Other Civil Service^[12]

The number of people employed in Other Reserved Civil Service in December 2018 increased by 180 (8.6%), compared with December 2017.

Department for International Development

The number of people employed in the Department for International Development in December 2018 was 900, 80 (10.3%) higher than December 2017.

Scotland Office

In December 2018, there were 80 people employed in the Scotland Office, an increase of 10 (12.0%) since December 2017.