Statistics Publication Notice: Public Sector Employment in Scotland: Statistics for 2nd Quarter 2009

This section focuses on the public sector bodies for which the UK Government has ministerial responsibility.

Headcount

In quarter 2 (Q2) 2009 there were 112,200 people employed in UK public bodies with a presence in Scotland. This is an increase of 38,200 (51.7%) since Q2 1999 and an increase of 42,800 (61.6%) since Q2 2008.
The large increase in employment in UK public bodies (with a presence in Scotland) is caused by the reclassification of the Royal Bank of Scotland plc and Lloyds Banking Group plc as UK wide public corporations. In Q2 2009, there were 42,500 people employed in these Public Sector Financial Institutions including also Northern Rock. Excluding these public sector financial institutions, employment in UK public bodies (with a presence in Scotland) would be 69,700 which is an increase of 200 (0.4%) over the year.
Employment in UK public bodies (with a presence in Scotland) currently accounts for 4.5% of total employment in Scotland. This has increased from 3.2% in Q2 1999 and 2.7% in Q2 2008.
Chart 4 shows how employment in UK wide public bodies has changed since 1999.

Full-time equivalent ( FTE)

Public sector employment in UK public bodies with a presence in Scotland consists of Armed Forces (11.5%); Civil Servants in UK Government Departments (29.5%), Public Corporations (15.7%), Non Departmental Public Bodies (3.3%), Public Sector Financial Institutions (37.3%) and Other Public Bodies ³ (2.7%).

Chart 8: Breakdown of employment in UK public bodies with a presence in Scotland, FTE, Q2 2009

Chart 8: Breakdown of employment in UK public bodies with a presence in Scotland, FTE, Q2 2009

Armed Forces (Full-time equivalent - FTE)

The total number of full-time equivalent staff in Scotland employed in the Armed Forces was 12,000 in Q2 2009. This is a decrease of 20.0% since Q2 1999 and a decrease of 0.9% since Q2 2008.

Civil Service - UK Government Departments with a presence in Scotland (Full-time equivalent - FTE)

The total number of full-time equivalent civil servants employed in UK Government Departments with a presence in Scotland was 30,700 in Q2 2009. This covers staff working in the Ministry of Defence, HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for International Development, the Scotland Office and other Civil Service units with a presence in Scotland.
Employment in UK Government Departments with a presence in Scotland has decreased by 3.0% since Q2 1999 and increased by 3.0% since Q2 2008.

Chart 9: Breakdown of employment in UK Government Departments with a presence in Scotland, FTE, Q2 2009
Permanent staff

Chart 9: Breakdown of employment in UK Government Departments with a presence in Scotland, FTE, Q2 2009

UK Non-Departmental Public Bodies ( NDPBs) and Public Corporations with a presence in Scotland (Full-time equivalent - FTE)

Changes in the number of staff employed by NDPBs and Public Corporations are caused by changes in individual organisations staff structures/requirements as well as the overall number of organisations falling within this category at any one time.
The total number of full-time equivalent staff working in UK wide NDPBs and Public Corporations with a presence in Scotland was 19,900 in Q2 2009. This is a decrease of 3.5% since Q2 2008.
In Q2 2009 there were 16,400 FTE staff employed by UK wide Public Corporations. This is a decrease of 6.0% since Q2 2008.
In Q2 2009 there were 3,500 FTE staff employed by UK wide NDPBs. This is an increase of 10.3% since Q2 2008.

Chart 10: Employment in UK Public Corporations and UKNDPBs with a presence in Scotland, FTE, 1999-2009

Chart 10: Employment in UK Public Corporations and UK NDPBs with a presence in Scotland, FTE, 1999-2009

The Scottish Government