This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Public Sector Employment in Scotland
13/12/2006
Statistics on people employed in the public sector in Scotland up to the third quarter of 2006 were published today, covering all of the public sector as defined by UK National Accounts.
This now includes those employed in Scottish local government, figures that were previously published in the Joint Staffing Watch survey.
The statistics are based on administrative records and surveys of individual public sector organisations. These surveys are carried out by the Executive and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
An estimate of private sector employment is also included, derived as the difference between the Labour Force Survey employment estimate for the whole of Scotland (not seasonally adjusted) and the public sector estimate.
Main Points
Public and Private Sector Employment in Scotland (Headcount)
- In quarter 3 (Q3) 2006, there were 580,300 people employed in the public sector and 1,906,700 people employed in the private sector in Scotland
- Public sector employment in Scotland consists of Local Government including police and fire and related services (55.2 per cent), NHS (26.0 per cent), Civil Service (9.0 per cent), Public Corporations (4.4 per cent), Non Departmental Public Bodies (2.5 per cent) and Armed Forces (2.3 per cent)
- Public sector employment has increased by 52,100 (9.9 per cent) since Q3 1999 but decreased by 1,300 (0.2 per cent) since Q3 2005. The largest increase since 1999 was within Local Government (27,500) including education services, social work services and fire and police services
- The public sector currently accounts for 23.3 per cent of employment in Scotland which has increased from 22.8 per cent in Q3 1999 but has decreased from 23.6 per cent in Q3 2005
Local Government (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)
- Total full-time equivalent employment in Local Government (excluding Police, Fire and related services) was 232,500 in Q3 2006. This figure comprises: 57,000 teachers; 35,500 other education staff; 44,500 social work staff and 95,500 other staff
- In Q3 2006 total employment in police and related services was 23,300 and total employment in fire and related services was 5,700
- The number of teachers employed within Local Government has increased by 6.5 per cent since Q3 1999 and by 0.9 per cent since Q3 2005.
- Other Education staff within Local Government has increased by 47.3 per cent since Q3 1999 and by 0.7 per cent since Q3 2005. 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 21.3 per cent since Q3 1999 and by 0.2 per cent since Q3 2005
- The number of police and related services staff has increased by 18.7 per cent since Q3 1999 and by 1.5 per cent since Q3 2005
- The number of fire and related services staff has increased by 3.4 per cent since Q3 1999 and by 1.8 per cent since Q3 2005
- The number of other Local Government staff has decreased by 1.4 per cent since Q3 1999 and by 0.9 per cent since Q3 2005
Civil Service in Scotland (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)
- The total number of full-time equivalent Civil Servants employed in Scotland was 49,000 in Q3 2006. This is an increase of 6.8 per cent since Q3 1999 but a decrease of 0.5 per cent since Q3 2005.
- In Q3 2006 there were 15,500 permanent staff employed by the Scottish Executive and its associated agencies. This is an increase of 13.4 per cent since Q3 1999 but a decrease of 0.7 per cent since Q3 2005.
- In Q3 2006 there were 32,200 permanent staff employed by other Civil Service Departments and Agencies in Scotland. This is an increase of 4.9 per cent since Q3 1999 and is similar to the level in Q3 2005
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 Q3 2006. This is the same as in Q3 1999 but a decrease of 9.8 per cent since Q3 2005
- In Q3 2006 there were 23,900 FTE staff employed by Public Corporations. This is a decrease of 11.4 per cent since Q3 1999 and a decrease of 13.9 per cent since Q3 2005
- In Q3 2006 there were 13,300 FTE staff employed by NDPBs. This is an increase of 31.9 per cent since Q3 1999 but a decrease of 1.2 per cent since Q3 2005
More detailed statistics on Local Government employment are available at www.scotland.gov.uk/jointstaffingwatch.
ONS will also be publishing quarterly public sector employment statistics for the UK today. These can be found on the National Statistics website.