The Scottish Government

« Previous | Contents | Next »

Listen

Public Sector Employment in Scotland: Statistics for 2 ^nd Quarter 2008

Scotland's Chief Statistician today published statistics on Public Sector Employment in Scotland. The publication provides statistics up to Quarter 2 of 2008 and covers 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. The statistics in this release are produced quarterly.

This publication is also the official release of Scottish Local Government employment statistics. These were previously published by the Scottish Government in the Joint Staffing Watch Survey. More detailed statistics on Local Government employment are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Labour-Market/JointStaffingWatchSurvey or on request.

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 Government 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 will also be publishing quarterly public sector employment statistics for the UK on 17 September 2008. These can be found on the UK Statistics Authority website at www.statistics.gov.uk

Any comments on the presentation of these statistics should be sent to labour-market.statistics@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

MAIN POINTS

Public and Private Sector Employment in Scotland (Headcount)

• In quarter 2 (Q2) 2008, there were 575,700 people employed in the public sector and 1,960,800 people employed in the private sector in Scotland.
• Public sector employment in Scotland consists of Local Government including police and fire and related services (54.4%), NHS (27.4%), Civil Service (8.5%), Public Corporations (4.2%), Non Departmental Public Bodies (2.8%) and Armed Forces (2.1%).
• Public sector employment has increased by 48,300 (9.2%) since Q2 1999 but decreased by 1,700 (0.3%) since Q2 2007. The largest increase since 1999 was within NHS (28,700).
• The public sector currently accounts for 22.7% of employment in Scotland which has decreased from 23.1% in Q2 1999 and remained unchanged over the year from Q2 2007.

Chart 1 Public and Private Sector Employment in Scotland, 1999-2008

Chart 2 Breakdown of Public Sector Employment in Scotland, Q2 2008

Local Government (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)

• Total full-time equivalent employment in Local Government (excluding Police, Fire and related services) was 228,800 in Q2 2008. This figure comprises: 57,500 teachers; 36,700 other education staff; 45,800 social work staff and 88,800 other staff.
• In Q2 2008 total employment in police and related services was 22,500 and total employment in fire and related services was 5,600.
• The number of teachers employed within Local Government has increased by 6.7% since Q2 1999 and remained unchanged over the year from Q2 2007.
• Other Education staff within Local Government has increased by 58.2% since Q2 1999 and by 5.0% since Q2 2007. 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 31.4% since Q2 1999 and decreased by 1.1% since Q2 2007.
• The number of police and related services staff has increased by 13.2% since Q2 1999 but decreased by 3.2% since Q2 2007. This decrease over the year is due to the transfer of central services provided to the Scottish police forces to the new Scottish Police Services Authority ( SPSA). As the SPSA is a Non-Departmental Public Body, staff employed in SPSA are included under NDPBs and not included in the total for Police and Related Services staff.
• The number of fire and related services staff has increased by 3.0% since Q2 1999 but decreased by 0.4% since Q2 2007.
• The number of other Local Government staff has decreased by 9.5% since Q2 1999 and by 1.9% since Q2 2007.

Chart 3 Employment in Local Government in Scotland, 1999-2008

Civil Service in Scotland (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)

• The total number of full-time equivalent Civil Servants employed in Scotland was 46,100 in Q2 2008. This is an increase of 0.3% since Q2 1999 but a decrease of 2.4% since Q2 2007.
• In Q2 2008 there were 15,800 permanent staff employed by the Scottish Government and its associated agencies. This is an increase of 15.5% since Q2 1999 and 1.3% since Q2 2007.
• In Q2 2008 there were 29,400 permanent staff employed by other Civil Service Departments and Agencies in Scotland. This is a decrease of 4.2% since Q2 1999 and a decrease of 5.0% since Q2 2007.

Chart 4 Breakdown of Scottish Government and Associated Agencies, Q2 2008

Chart 5 Breakdown of Other Civil Service in Scotland, Q2 2008

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 37,200 in Q2 2008. This is an increase of 0.1% since Q2 1999 and an increase of 1.2% since Q2 2007.
• In Q2 2008 there were 22,400 FTE staff employed by Public Corporations. This is a decrease of 17.7% since Q2 1999 and an increase of 1.2% since Q2 2007.
• In Q2 2008 there were 14,800 FTE staff employed by NDPBs. This is an increase of 48.5% since Q2 1999 and an increase of 1.2% since Q2 2007.

Chart 6 Employment in Public Corporations and NDPBs in Scotland, 1999-2008

INDEX OF TABLES

Table 1 - Number of people employed by main sector; Scotland 1999 to 2008
Table 2 - Public Sector Employment by Sector; Headcount
Table 3 - Public Sector Employment by Sector; Full-time equivalent
Table 4a - Employment (Permanent Staff Only): Scottish Government and Associated Agencies; Headcount
Table 4b - Employment (Permanent Staff Only): Other Civil Service in Scotland; Headcount
Table 5a - Employment (Permanent Staff Only): Scottish Government and Associated Agencies; Full-time equivalent
Table 5b - Employment (Permanent Staff Only): Other Civil Service in Scotland; Full-time equivalent
Table 6 - Employment: Local Government; Headcount
Table 7 - Employment: Local Government; Full-time equivalent

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

1. This regular series of quarterly Scottish Public Sector Employment First Releases results from the work of a cross-departmental project, led by ONS, to improve the quality and timeliness of public sector employment statistics. This publication includes the first publication of data for Quarter 2 2008. Historical data for some areas of public sector employment have been modelled using available data (see paragraph 3). Some figures from previous publications have been revised (see paragraph 18).

2. An article summarising work carried out to improve estimates of public sector employment across the UK is accessible on the UK Statistics Authority website at the following address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=1095

RESULTS FOR QUARTERS PRIOR TO Q1 2005

3. Public sector data prior to Q1 2005 are based partly on estimates as actual data for all quarters are not available. Estimates prior to Q1 2005 are calculated based on available data for the following areas and time periods:

• Quarters 2, 3 and 4 of each year prior to 2005 for the Civil Service excluding Ministry of Defence
• Quarters 1, 2 and 4 of each year for the NHS
• Quarters 1, 3 and 4 of each year prior to 2005 for the armed forces
• All quarters prior to Q4 2004 for NDPBs and Public Corporations

CONCEPTS, SOURCES AND DEFINITIONS

4. The public sector comprises central government, local government, and public corporations as defined for the UK National Accounts. The Sector Classifications Guide ( MA23) provides information on the classification of organisations and institutions in the National Accounts. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/SearchRes.asp?term=ma23

5. Central government includes all administrative departments of government and other central agencies and non-departmental public bodies ( NDPBs). This sector also includes HM Forces and the NHS. NDPBs within this publication are those defined within National Accounts as NDPBs and include both Scottish NDPBs and UKNDPBs with employees in Scotland. Advisory NDPBs are also included in this publication.

6. Data on NHS employment in Scotland for Q2 2008 have been estimated using projections based on previous data. Information on employment in the NHS in Scotland can be found on the Information Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland's website at: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/796.html

7. According to the National Accounts definition of the public sector General Medical Practitioners ( GMP) and General Dental Practitioners ( GDP) are not included in the public sector and are therefore not included in the figures in the publication. However data on GMPs and GDPs are available and the table below shows the most recent data available.

Data on GMPs and GDPs as at 30 September 2007

Source: ISD Scotland, Scottish Workforce Information Standard System ( SWISS)

8. Local government comprises all government units with a local remit. It includes: Education teaching staff and Education other staff; Social Workers; Police and related services; Fire and related services; and other staff. Other staff contains: corporate services; central support; planning and economic development; housing; roads and transport; arts, sports and leisure; libraries, museums and galleries; trading standards; staff of district court; environmental services; Direct Labour Organisation ( DLO); Direct Service Organisation ( DSO) staff and National Parks staff. Joint Staffing Watch Survey data is collected based on those employed by Local Government organisations. Due to definitional issues, this data may differ from other sources of information for the individual sectors of Local Government. More information on these definitional issues can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20889/55029

9. Estimates for education teaching staff only include those paid and employed at the last pay period before the survey date of the Joint Staffing Watch Survey. Any changes in numbers of teaching staff will only be measured if they are included on the payroll at the survey date.

10. Public corporations are companies or quasi-corporations controlled by government. An example is the Post Office LTD. These companies receive more than half their income from sales of goods or services into the market place.

11. Public Corporations within this publication include Public Corporations based wholly in Scotland and UK wide Public Corporations with a presence in Scotland. Data for the UK wide Public Corporations with a presence in Scotland are estimated based on UK data and business survey information. This business survey information is updated in our series each year in Q3 which may result in step changes in the series. The Public Corporations which are based wholly in Scotland are:

Audit Scotland
Scottish Water
Caledonian MacBrayne LTD
Highlands and Islands Airports LTD
Strathclyde Passenger Transport
Aberdeen Harbour Board
Northern Lighthouse Board
The other Public Corporations included are:
Civil Aviation Authority
British Waterways
The Financial Services Authority
The Crown Estate Commissioners
Post Office LTD
Horse Race Totalisator Board
Tote Bookmakers
Driving Standards Agency
Vehicle and Operator Services
Ordnance Survey
Defence Aviation Repair Agency
Army Base Repair Organisation
N.A.A.F.I.
The British Council
Remploy LTD
OFCOM
Channel Four Television Corporation
British Energy LTD
British Energy Generation ( UK) LTD
Northern Rock PLC (reclassified to public sector October 2007)

12. Some organisations do not fall into any of the sub categories used in this publication but are still included in the total public sector employment measure. These organisations are: British Broadcasting Corporation, Scottish Parliament; Scottish Public Services Ombudsman; Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator; Forestry Commission; and Electoral Commission.

13. Data on Armed Forces for Q1 2006 onwards are provisional and subject to review, due to ongoing validation of data from the Defence Analytical Services Agency's ( DASA) new Personnel Administration System ( JPA).

14. Headcount estimates are based on the number of employees with an employment contract who are being paid by the organisation. Employees can be permanent, on a fixed-term contract or employed on a casual basis. Self-employed, contract workers, and agency workers are excluded.

15. As well as the headcount estimates, estimates have also been produced for the number of employees on a full-time equivalent ( FTE) basis. This is based on converting part-time employees' hours into a full-time employee equivalent, and provides a better indicator of total labour input than a simple headcount.

16. Tables 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b contain data on Civil Service permanent staff only. The totals for Civil Service in tables 2 and 3 also include casual staff.

17. The statistics published here are derived from the relevant departments and devolved governments plus comprehensive quarterly surveys of the home Civil Service, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and Public Corporations, carried out by ONS. The following list shows the data sources used to calculate total public sector employment.

Sources of Public Sector Employment estimates

Central Government

Department for Work and Pensions - Direct and Civil Service Statistics, Office for National Statistics
Department for International Development - Direct and Civil Service Statistics, Office for National Statistics
HM revenue and Customs - Direct and Civil Service Statistics, Office for National Statistics
Other Central Government - Civil Service Statistics, Office for National Statistics

Local Government

Education Teachers - Joint Staffing Watch Survey
Education Others - Joint Staffing Watch Survey
Police and Related Services - Joint Staffing Watch Survey
Fire and Related Services - Joint Staffing Watch Survey
Social Work - Joint Staffing Watch Survey
Other staff - Joint Staffing Watch Survey

REVISIONS

18. Data in this publication are revised where appropriate. These revisions are generally caused by revisions to other sources of data, such as the Labour Force Survey due to new population estimates, and revisions to the projections in health data, as actual data becomes available. However some revisions are unforeseen due to revisions in survey estimates provided to the Office for National Statistics and revisions based on more up to date data. All revisions are highlighted in the data tables.

19. A revisions policy outlining the timings of the different planned and unplanned revisions can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/12/PSERevisionsPolicy

FUTURE PUBLICATIONS

20. Public sector employment statistics will be published every quarter and the release timetable will be pre-announced in National Statistics Updates. The next quarterly first release will be published on the 17 December 2008.

21. The Scottish Government are currently working with the Office for National Statistics to carry out a seasonal adjustment review of the Scottish Public Sector Employment estimates on a consistent basis with the UK data. Seasonally adjusted data will be published for the first time later in 2008.

GENERAL

22. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from the press office. Also available is a list of the names of those given pre-publication access to the contents of this release.

Further details are available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00684

Public enquiries (non media) contact: Denise Patrick 0141 242 5758

Media enquiries contact: Stewart Cooper 0131 244 2175

Date: September 17, 2008

« Previous | Contents | Next »