Scottish Government accused of having 'second-class employees' over agency staff use

The number of agency staff filling temporary vacancies for the Scottish Government has increased by two thirds in the past year, Scottish Labour has found.

The number of agency workers hired by the Government in temporary jobs so far this year stands at 432 – a 67.4 per cent increase on the 258 taken on the whole of last year and higher than the 236 in 2019.

The figures, released to Labour MSP Katy Clark following written questions to Deputy First Minister John Swinney, also reveal the number of senior staff in Government departments on fixed-term contracts is up from 208 in 2020 to 322 this year.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy John Swinney. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Ms Clark said: “These temporary agency workers are doing the same job as their permanent colleagues, but often have poorer rights, with limited sick pay, lesser holiday entitlement and no bereavement leave.

“John Swinney has effectively confirmed that SNP ministers are presiding over an environment where a large number of Scottish Government staff are treated as second-class employees.

“What’s also alarming is that John Swinney has only released the figures for temporary agency workers in the more senior grades, which gives rise to concerns that these practices are much more widespread.

“It’s an unacceptable situation, and Nicola Sturgeon needs to explain as a matter of urgency, how this squares with the SNP’s pledge to deliver fair work practices in Government.”

Ms Clark added: “It’s particularly worrying that during the first year of the pandemic, that there was such a big increase in short-term agency recruitment.

“It’s clear from the Government’s own figures that it has badly let workers down over job security and equal employment rights.”