Scottish Government

NEWS RELEASE
15 July 2005
AN EXPERIMENTAL STATISTICS PUBLICATION

ISBN 0 7559 2646 3 (Web only publication)

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This news release provides experimental statistics on those employed in the public sector in Scotland. This covers all of the public sector as defined by UK National Accounts.

The aim of this release is to provide an overall estimate of employment in the public sector in Scotland. Data on individual components are provided but are not the primary concern of this release. Data prior to Q1 2005 is provided for contextual purposes only and is not always comparable with the data for Q1 2005.

This publication is also now the first release of Scottish Local Government employment statistics. These were previously published by the Executive in the Joint Staffing Watch. More detailed statistics on Local Government employment are available 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 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 estimates for the whole of Scotland (not seasonally adjusted) and the public sector estimates.

ONS will also be publishing quarterly public sector employment statistics for the UK on 15 July 2005. These can be found on the National Statistics website at www.statistics.gov.uk

The statistics in this release will be produced quarterly.

Public and Private Sector Employment in Scotland (Headcount)

• In quarter 1 (Q1) 2005, there were 572,900 employed in the public sector and 1,860,100 employed in the private sector in Scotland.
• The public sector accounts for 23.5 per cent of employment in Scotland.

Civil Service in Scotland (Full-time equivalent - FTE)

• The total number of full-time equivalent Civil Servants employed in Scotland was 47,400 in Q1 2005. This was made up of 14,700 employed by the Scottish Executive and its associated agencies, and 32,700 employed by other Departments and Agencies.

Local Government (Full-time equivalent - FTE)

• Total full time-equivalent employment in Local Government was 258,400 in Q1 2005. This figure comprises: 57,100 teachers; 34,000 other education staff; 44,800 social workers; 22,200 police and related workers; 5,600 fire and related services; and 94,800 other staff.

NOTES FOR NEWS EDITORS

1. This is the first in a regular new series of quarterly Scottish Public Sector Employment First Releases and results from the work of a cross-departmental project, led by ONS, to improve the quality and timeliness of public sector employment statistics. This is the first time that estimates have been published based on information collected every quarter from government departments. These statistics have been released on an experimental basis.

2. An article setting out the full details of the improvements being made to estimates of public sector employment is accessible on the National Statistics website at the following address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=1095

CONCEPTS, SOURCES AND DEFINITIONS

3. 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

4. Central government includes all administrative departments of government and other central agencies and non-departmental public bodies. This sector also includes HM Forces and the NHS.

5. Data on NHS employment in Scotland for Q1 2005 has been estimated using projections based on previous data. Information Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland, published workforce figures for some of the NHS in Q1 2005 on 14 July 2005, however not all groups were covered. Data for Q1 2005 will be revised to reflect actual NHS figures in the next publication of this series.

6. 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; and Direct Labour Organisation ( DLO) Direct Service Organisation ( DSO) 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

7. Public corporations are companies or quasi-corporations controlled by government. Examples include British Nuclear Fuels plc and the BBC. These companies receive more than half their income from sales of goods or services into the market place.

8. 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.

9. As well as the headcount estimates, estimates have also been produced for the number of employees in full-time equivalents ( FTE). 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.

10. 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 table shows the data sources used to calculate total public sector employment for Q1 2005.

Sources of Public Sector Employment estimates

Central Government
Department for Work and Pensions -Direct
Department for International Development -Direct
HM revenue and Customs -Direct
Other Central Government -Quarterly Public Sector Employees Survey

Local Government
Education Teachers -Joint Staffing Watch Survey Q1 2005
Education Others -Joint Staffing Watch Survey Q1 2005
Police and Related Services -Joint Staffing Watch Survey Q1 2005
Fire and Related Services -Joint Staffing Watch Survey Q1 2005
Social Work -Joint Staffing Watch Survey Q1 2005
Other staff -Joint Staffing Watch Survey Q1 2005

National Health Service - Information Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland
HM Forces - Ministry of Defence
Public Corporations - Office for National Statistics. IDBR
Non-Departmental Public Bodies - Office for National Statistics. IDBR

Future Publications

11. The Cabinet Office will today publish a breakdown of the Quarter 1 2005 Civil Service employment estimates by main government department. This publication has been pre-announced in National Statistics Updates.

12. In future, 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 Friday 30 September 2005.

General

13. 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.

INDEX OF TABLES

Table 1: Number of people employed by main sector; Scotland; Headcount
Table 2: Public Sector Employment by Sector; FTE
Table 3a: Employment: Scottish Executive and Associated Agencies; Headcount
Table 3b: Employment: Other Civil Service and Agency Employment in Scotland; Headcount
Table 4a: Employment: Scottish Executive and Associated Agencies; FTE
Table 4b: Employment: Other Civil Service and Agency Employment in Scotland; FTE
Table 5: Employment: Local Government; Headcount
Table 6: Employment: Local Government; FT

Further details are available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00431

Statistical Contact: Elaine Drennan 0141 242 5451
Press Contact: Fiona Hamilton: 0131 244 2672
News release:
Date: July 15, 2005

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