Scots still most likely to work in state sector

SCOTLAND is now more heavily dependent on the public sector for work than any other part of the UK, new figures reveal.

In the decade since the financial crash, every region in the country has seen a shift in balance towards private sector employment.

However, Scotland still has nearly 500,000 state workers – 31 per cent of the workforce, compared with the British average of 22 per cent.

Public sector employees north of the Border are also the best paid outside of London and have had the second highest wage rises over the last ten years.

The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), are the latest in a pattern of data that shows the SNP veering towards a big-state economy.

However, critics claim Scotland is now labouring beneath a toxic combination of higher taxes, heftier debt and sluggish growth.

John O’Connell, chief executive of the campaign group the Taxpayers’ Alliance said: ‘These figures should concern taxpayers as they show an over-reliance on government to provide jobs. Higher taxes and crippling debts are the only ways to pay for high public sector employment.

The ONS data shows that, since 2009, the UK’s full-time workforce has increased from 17.7million to 19.1million, but state workers have fallen from 4.7million (27 per cent) to 4.2 million (22 per cent) as the Government has attempted to balance the nation’s books.

However, at the same time, the

Scottish public sector has contracted at a slower rate with full-time employee numbers falling from 569,000 – 36 per cent of the workforce to 494,000 – 31 per cent.

The typical weekly wage for a Scottish public sector worker is now £705, higher than anywhere else apart from London.

But Scotland’s annual budget deficit is now £12.6billion, more than half of the UK total of £23.5billion.

Last night the Scottish Government insisted that the devolution of more powers from London to Edinburgh means the public sector headcount has to stay high.

A spokesman added: ‘A strong public sector and a strong private sector are not mutually exclusive – they go hand in hand.

‘We are proud to have supported our vital public service workers in the face of a decade of austerity from the UK Government.’