Written Question · S5W-26218 · Session 5
How many staff in the last six months have worked in its (a) Brexit and (b) constitutional affairs policy area, broken down by how many wer…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff in the last six months have worked in its (a) Brexit and (b) constitutional affairs policy area, broken down by how many were (i) transferred from its other policy fields, (ii) seconded from its agencies and national public bodies and (iii) hired from external sources.
The answer
Work on EU Exit permeates the majority of directorates across Scottish Government. Officials undertake this work as part of their normal duties. We collect snapshot information as part of our wider workforce planning processes but do not centrally record numbers for those moving on or off EU Exit related work. The last collection of management information showed that around 500 full time equivalent staff were engaged in EU exit-related work across Scottish Government in March 2019. This is the latest collated figure.
Within the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate, the Constitutional and UK Relations Division manages the development and implementation of policy on constitutional matters, including relations between the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the other devolved administrations, Scottish Government engagement with the British-Irish Council, the development of Common Frameworks and EU Exit legislation. Other parts of the Directorate are concerned with elections, the current Referendums Bill, co-ordination of the legislative programme, support for Cabinet and a range of other issues including Freedom of Information.
The data for the Constitutional and UK Relations Division is in the following table:
30 April Fulltime equivalent
External recruits
Moves from SG Agency
31 October Fulltime equivalent
17
5
2
22
*Note: we do not separately hold information on recruitment from public bodies. Any such movement would be included in the external recruitment figure above.
** Note: there is considerable and regular movement between all directorates of the Scottish Government, creating opportunities for officials to backfill roles vacated. The Constitutional and UK Relations Division has therefore seen movement both into and out with the unit over the last six months.
Within the Constitution and Cabinet Directorate, the Constitutional and UK Relations Division manages the development and implementation of policy on constitutional matters, including relations between the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the other devolved administrations, Scottish Government engagement with the British-Irish Council, the development of Common Frameworks and EU Exit legislation. Other parts of the Directorate are concerned with elections, the current Referendums Bill, co-ordination of the legislative programme, support for Cabinet and a range of other issues including Freedom of Information.
The data for the Constitutional and UK Relations Division is in the following table:
30 April Fulltime equivalent
External recruits
Moves from SG Agency
31 October Fulltime equivalent
17
5
2
22
*Note: we do not separately hold information on recruitment from public bodies. Any such movement would be included in the external recruitment figure above.
** Note: there is considerable and regular movement between all directorates of the Scottish Government, creating opportunities for officials to backfill roles vacated. The Constitutional and UK Relations Division has therefore seen movement both into and out with the unit over the last six months.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-26218 by reference.