From 1999 until 2007, the Finance and Central Services Department (SEFCSD) was a civil service department

Ministry (government department)

A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...

 of the Scottish Executive. SEFCSD was responsible for the financial administration of the Executive, including the annual budget

Budget

A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...

 and the issue of payments (for example local government grants) and recording of receipts. In addition, the department was also responsible for the Executive's work in international development

International development

International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...

. In May 2007, the all Departments within the Scottish Executive were abolished. Business is now dealt with by Directorates

Directorates of the Scottish Government

The work of the Scottish Government is carried out by Directorates, each headed by a Director. The Directorates are grouped into a number of over-arching Directorates, each headed by a Director-General. However, the individual Directorates are the building blocks of the system and a Director may be...

. The new position of Director-General

Director-general

The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...

Economy and Chief Economic Adviser is Dr Andrew Goudie.

Structure

The department was structured into three groups:

• Finance Group- responsible for budgeting and accounting, including the administration of the Scottish Executive Accounting System which is used throughout the Executive.

• International & Communication Group- responsible for the Executive's aims of making Scotland "a leading small nation to visit, live, work, study, do business with and invest in". It also provides communication and marketing for the Executive.

• Public Sector Reform Group- promotion of excellence in the delivery of public services including best value and the efficient government initiative.