The Civil Service

The civil service helps the government of the day develop and implement its policies as well as deliver public services. Civil servants are accountable to ministers, who in turn are accountable to Parliament.

The Permanent Secretary is the most senior civil servant in Scotland and leads more than 7000 staff within the core Scottish Government and has oversight of around 125 agencies.

The government is structured into a number of directorates and their related public bodies. Directorates and agencies are managed by directors-general.

Permanent Secretary and directors-general

Non-executive directors

Non-executive directors (NXDs) support the Permanent Secretary, directors-general and other senior managers in the leadership of the Scottish Government.

  • David Martin

    Non-executive director

  • Belinda Oldfield

    Non-executive director

  • Neil Richardson

    Non-executive director

  • Neil Wooding

    Non-executive director

  • Jim Robertson

    Non-executive director

  • Fiona Ross

    Non-executive director

  • Jayne Scott

    Non-executive director

  • Jenny Stewart

    Non-executive director

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