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Public sector employment
13/06/2007
Statistics on people employed in the public sector in Scotland up to Quarter 1 of 2007 were published today, covering all of the public sector as defined by UK National Accounts.
This release provides a complete quarterly series from Quarter 1 1999 onwards. The quarterly data in this publication are not seasonally adjusted and therefore comparisons between years should only be made for the same quarter.
This publication is also the official release of Scottish Local Government employment statistics. These were previously published by the Executive in the Joint Staffing Watch Survey.
The statistics in this release are based on administrative records and surveys of individual public sector organisations. These surveys are carried out by the Scottish Executive and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). An estimate of private sector employment is also included in this release. This is derived as the difference between the Labour Force Survey employment estimate for the whole of Scotland (not seasonally adjusted) and the public sector estimate.
ONS published quarterly public sector employment statistics for the UK today. Any comments on the presentation of these statistics should be sent to
The statistics in this release will be produced quarterly.
MAIN POINTS
Public and Private Sector Employment in Scotland (Headcount)
In quarter 1 (Q1) 2007, there were 580,500 people employed in the public sector and 1,943,800 people employed in the private sector in Scotland.
Public sector employment in Scotland consists of Local Government including police and fire and related services (55.2percent), NHS (26.3percent), Civil Service (8.7percent), Public Corporations (4.4percent), Non Departmental Public Bodies (2.5percent) and Armed Forces (2.3percent).
Public sector employment has increased by 53,100 (10.1percent) since Q1 1999 but decreased by 4,900 (0.8percent) since Q1 2006. The largest increase since 1999 was within Local Government (26,900) including education services, social work services and fire and police services.
The public sector currently accounts for 23.0 percent of employment in Scotland which has decreased from 23.1percent in Q1 1999 and from 23.8percent in Q1 2006.
Local Government (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)
Total full-time equivalent employment in Local Government (excluding Police, Fire and related services) was 229,900 in Q1 2007. This figure comprises: 57,500 teachers; 35,100 other education staff; 45,600 social work staff and 91,700 other staff.
In Q1 2007 total employment in police and related services was 23,600 and total employment in fire and related services was 5,700.
The number of teachers employed within Local Government has increased by 6.0percent since Q1 1999 and by 0.6percent since Q1 2006.
Other Education staff within Local Government has increased by 49.9percent since Q1 1999 and decreased by 2.7percent since Q1 2006. Other Education staff include other staff within schools such as classroom assistants, music instructors, laboratory assistants, library staff, clerical staff etc.
The number of Social Work staff working within Local Government has increased by 30.5percent since Q1 1999 and by 2.3percent since Q1 2006.
The number of police and related services staff has increased by 19.3percent since Q1 1999 and by 0.6percent since Q1 2006.
The number of fire and related services staff has increased by 3.9percent since Q1 1999 and decreased by 0.8percent since Q1 2006.
The number of other Local Government staff has decreased by 5.6percent since Q1 1999 and by 4.5percent since Q1 2006.
Civil Service in Scotland (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)
The total number of full-time equivalent Civil Servants employed in Scotland was 47,500 in Q1 2007. This is an increase of 3.4percent since Q1 1999 but a decrease of 2.9percent since Q1 2006.
In Q1 2007 there were 15,500 permanent staff employed by the Scottish Executive and its associated agencies. This is an increase of 14.3percent since Q1 1999 but a decrease of 0.1percent since Q1 2006.
In Q1 2007 there were 31,300 permanent staff employed by other Civil Service Departments and Agencies in Scotland. This is an increase of 2.3percent since Q1 1999 but a decrease of 3.1percent since Q1 2006.
Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) and Public Corporations (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)
Changes in the number of staff employed within NDPBs and Public Corporations are caused by changes in the number, scope and classification of NDPBs and Public Corporations as well as increases in staff within organisations.
The total number of full-time equivalent staff working in NDPBs and Public Corporations was 36,300 in Q1 2007. This is a decrease of 2.3percent since Q1 1999 and a decrease of 7.4percent since Q1 2006.
In Q1 2007 there were 23,100 FTE staff employed by Public Corporations. This is a decrease of 15.4percent since Q1 1999 and a decrease of 10.9percent since Q1 2006.
In Q1 2007 there were 13,300 FTE staff employed by NDPBs. This is an increase of 33.6percent since Q1 1999 but a decrease of 0.6percent since Q1 2006.