Scottish Budget: draft budget 2018-2019

Chapter 14: Administration

Portfolio Responsibilities

The Administration budget covers the costs of the core administration required to support the Scottish Government’s Purpose and Strategic Objectives. The largest element covers the cost of core staffing, although Scottish Government staff implementing and delivering specific public services may be paid for from other portfolio budgets where appropriate. This budget also supports the provision of property, facilities, information technology, travel and training for the core Scottish Government.

Our Priorities

In 2018-19 we will continue to make most effective use of the administration budget of the Scottish Government to deliver a high quality service to Scottish Ministers and the people of Scotland.

We will work together with stakeholders, delivery partners and with local government. Single Outcome Agreements and Community Planning Partnerships will carry this agenda into every part of Scotland.

We will continue to support a high-performing workforce with high levels of staff engagement, a strong emphasis on continuous improvement and flexible deployment.

Key priorities will include the delivery of the objectives and outcomes set out in the Programme for Government; implementing ‘Scotland’s Economic Strategy’, guided by the refreshed National Performance Framework; continuing to develop capacity and capability to take on the new responsibilities set out in the Scotland Act 2016; and responding effectively to the impact of Brexit.

In 2018-19 we will:

• ensure the organisation has the capacity and capability to support the functions of government as well as the priority outcomes and objectives set by Ministers and the people of Scotland. This includes matching our resources to our priorities, positive engagement and joint working with delivery partners, trade unions and other stakeholders;
• strive for positive engagement with the UK Government on all issues of importance to the people of Scotland including the implementation of new powers under the Scotland Act 2016;
• provide leadership in the delivery of public service reform including effective preventative interventions, service design, and collaboration between public service partners;
• continue to support Modern Apprenticeships. Since the Scottish Government launched the direct entrant Modern Apprenticeship Programme in April 2011 we have recruited 583 Modern Apprentices and provided further youth employment opportunities such as the graduate development programme, student placements and mentoring;
• 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 the 2018-19 public sector pay policy for Scottish Government staff from 1 April 2018 which departs from the 1 per cent cap of recent years; continues the Government’s commitment to no compulsory redundancies; and prioritises support for those on the lowest incomes. We will maintain our status as an accredited Living Wage employer and where necessary use the flexibilities allowed under the policy to equality proof our pay structure;
• secure 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 our public sector infrastructure through the Smarter Workplaces Programme to ensure our buildings remain fit for purpose – this programme is already delivering recurring annual efficiency savings of
  £29 million across the public sector;
• 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; and
• implement further measures to make the most effective use of the public sector estate and reduce carbon emissions, including through digital investment.

Table 14.01: Administration Spending Plans (Level 2)

Table 14.02: Administration Spending Plans (Level 2 real terms) at 2017-18 prices

What the Administration budget does

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

Table 14.03: Administration Spending Plans (Level 3)

* 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.