A ‘modest’ increase in the size of the government workforce has been reported for the last quarter of this year.

The latest quarterly report on the public service workforce, covering July to September, shows that the total number of full-time equivalent employees across all departments, boards and officers rose from from 7,810.46 to 7,837.87, an overall increase of 27.41 or 0.35%.

‘This represents only a marginal expansion in the workforce, indicating limited overall growth,’ the report states.

The quarter saw small FTE increases in six of the eight departments (up 0.47%).

The largest increases were in Home Affairs (up 13.62) due to growth in frontline teams, and the Cabinet Office (up 4.97) attributed to additional resources allocated into the government’s efficiencies and change programme.

The majority of these are short-term, specialist roles to deliver specific projects.

Enterprise and Health & Social Care experienced modest reductions (down 3.10 and 1.66 respectively).

Overall, the total FTE workforce across all core departments increased by 20.45 FTE, rising from 4,383.03 to 4,403.48 FTE - and increase of 0.47%.

Manx Care recorded an increase of 2.81 FTE in the quarter, rising from 3,014.09 to 3,016.90 FTE.

A quarterly update on the efficiencies and change programme has also been published.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan has set a target of government findings savings of £50m by the year 2030.

The target for the current financial year is £10m-plus and the report says that already £11.8m of potential financial benefits have been identified. This figures includes £2.7m in potential improved income collection.

A total of 180 cross-Government projects, initiatives and actions have been identified of which 35 have been completed and 145 are in progress.