Jobs at the Scottish Government fell by 2.7% last year, its accounts show.
Staff numbers dropped from 156,252 in 2009/10 to 151,959 in 2010/11. The figures include posts in executive agencies, the NHS, the Crown Office and procurator fiscal service.Finance Secretary John Swinney said: ‘The Scottish Government is taking action to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This means bearing down on the costs of administration and cutting our wage bill.’
Swinney said senior civil service costs were expected to fall by 13% in the current financial year, equivalent to £3.76m, and there was a target for a 25% reduction over the next three years.
The unqualifiedaccounts, published by auditor general Robert Black on October 4, also show that the Scottish Government spent £30.9bn, slightly below the £31.3bn budgeted. Local government spending hit its £10.5bn budget. Swinney said: ‘Our accounts outline how we have used the financial resources available towards achieving this government's purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth.’
Black announced today that he is retiring from the position that he has held since the post was created at devolution in 2000. Black said he will stay in post until a successor is appointed. This is expected to be in spring next year.
Announcing his decision, he said: ‘It has been an enormous privilege and honour to hold the role of auditor general for Scotland for the past 11 years.
‘It has been a challenging and hugely rewarding time, covering the early years of devolution, the growth of Scotland’s public sector and, more recently, the onset of fiscal austerity arising from the global financial crisis.’
