Scotland's Budget: Draft Budget 2017-2018

Chapter 13 Administration

PORTFOLIO RESPONSIBILITIES

The Administration budget covers the costs of running the core administration required to support the Scottish Government's Purpose and Strategic Objectives. These costs comprise primarily core staffing although Scottish Government staff delivering specific public services may be paid for from other portfolio budgets where appropriate. The Administration budget also supports accommodation, information technology, travel
and training.

OUR PRIORITIES

In 2017-18 we will continue to make progress in ensuring efficiency in the administration of the Scottish Government while maintaining a high quality service to Scottish Ministers and the people of Scotland. Key priorities will include: the delivery of the objectives and outcomes set out in the 2016 Programme for Government; implementing 'Scotland's Economic Strategy', guided by the National Performance Framework; developing capacity and capability to take on new responsibilities set out in the Scotland Act 2016; and ensuring an effective response to the outcome of the EU referendum.

Table 13.01: Spending Plans (Level 2)

Table 13.02: Spending Plans (Level 2 real terms) at 2016-17 prices

Table 13.03: More Detailed Spending Plans (Level 3)

* The 2017-18 budget reflects the transfer of £0.2 million from the Culture, Tourism and External Affairs portfolio budget since, as a NDPB, Historic Environment Scotland no longer undertakes certain statutory activities which were previously undertaken by its predecessor body, Historic Scotland.

** The 2017-18 budget reflects the transfer of £0.6 million to the Justice portfolio budget for Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to maintain Scottish Government-leased buildings.

*** Includes ICT projects and minor non-pay items, e.g. travel, transport, stationery, hospitality, etc.

**** The breakdown of spending plans is subject to change as we seek to reduce overhead costs in favour of providing staffing resources to support existing and new priority activities.

What the budget does

The Administration budget covers the day-to-day running costs of the Scottish Government including costs for staff engaged in policy formulation and support for Ministers, as well as its costs for estates and IT systems and structures.

In 2017-18 we will:

• ensure the organisation has the capacity and capability to deliver the required functions of government and the priority outcomes and objectives set by Ministers and the people of Scotland. This includes matching of resources to priorities, positive engagement with the UK Government and joint working with delivery partners, trade unions and other stakeholders to ensure that the Scottish Government is fully prepared to take on further powers as they are devolved from the UK Government;
• provide leadership in the delivery of public service reform including effective preventative interventions, service design, and collaboration between public service partners;
• offer maximum value for public money and invest further in the effectiveness of our people, systems and workplaces, building on significant efficiencies already achieved in procurement, estates, facilities, and other operational costs;
• redesign and maintain ageing infrastructure through the Smarter Workplaces Programme to ensure our buildings remain fit for purpose and delivering recurring efficiency savings of £28 million from 2017-18;
• implement measures to make the most effective use of the public sector estate, including through digital investment, and to reduce carbon emissions;
• continue to support greater collaboration and partnership working by promoting the use of shared services as the standard way of doing business across the central government sector in Scotland. The Scottish Government has led this process by expanding the provision of its corporate and support services and in working with arm's-length public bodies to develop their own programmes for collaboration;
• as an employer, ensure that we meet annual targets for Modern Apprenticeships. Since the Scottish Government launched the direct entrant Modern Apprenticeship Programme in April 2011 we have recruited 417 Modern Apprentices and provided further youth employment opportunities such as the graduate development programme, student placements and mentoring. We remain committed to offering a range of student/work experience placements for unemployed young people and students. This benefited 195 individuals in 2015-16;
• continue to invest in our people, demonstrating that we are an exemplar in employee engagement, diversity, equality and wellbeing, through the implementation of our People Strategy, public sector equality duties and the delivery of the Civil Service diversity agenda;
• implement public sector pay policy for Scottish Government staff, reflecting the commitment to no compulsory redundancies, prioritising support for those on the lowest incomes and equality proofing our pay structures; and
• ensure that the Scottish Government remains an accredited Living Wage employer. We will continue to assure ourselves that our employment terms and conditions are fair and equitable and make improvements where we can. For example, as part of the agreed 2016 pay deal we increased contractual maternity and adoption pay and increased paternity leave and contractual paternity pay.