Former MLA new electoral commissioner

HEALTH service staff in Northern Ireland would receive a pay cap-busting 3% increase under an offer made to unions.

The extra £60m cash has been found following a reshuffle of spending by Stormont’s departments.

The Department of Health is to receive an extra £109m in total.

Under the offer, the minimum rate of pay would be set at £16,943 — an increase of up to 15.5% for some of the lowest-paid employees — and a rise in starting salaries, including for newly-qualified nurses.

Public-sector pay rises have been capped at 1% for a number of years.

Department of Health permanent secretary Richard Pengelly said: “Our health and social care system depends on the dedication and expertise of staff, particularly during these times of unprecedented pressure on services. I am delighted to be able to reach this point.

“The department, alongside our colleagues in the Department of Finance, has worked hard to make this possible and I am very grateful to staff across the sector, and our trade union colleagues, for their forbearance while we were doing so.”

He said the proposals would offer about 70% of staff a 3% or more uplift to current pay scales.

In addition, eligible staff will receive incremental pay progression — increases that move them towards the top of their pay bands.

The department is aiming for the increases to be in pay packets in the new year.

SDLP health spokesman Mark H Durkan (pictured) welcomed the news that the health pay cap is to be scrapped.

The Foyle MLA said: “This is very good, if overdue, news for our hardworking and heroic A FORMER DUP MLA has been appointed to the post of electoral commissioner at Westminster.

Alastair Ross was nominated for the position by DUP leader Arlene Foster and becomes the first commissioner proposed by a Northern Ireland party to be appointed.

Mr Ross (37) was a junior minister in the Executive Office before leaving the Assembly in 2017 after opting not to stand for re-election in East Antrim.

He was one of six candidates put forward by the smaller parties at Westminster for the post and was the unanimous choice of the selection panel set up through the Speaker’s committee.

The commission is currently investigating money paid by Mid and East Antrim Council to sponsor a table at a dinner hosted by DUP MP Ian Paisley.

The body said commissioners “are not involved in the commission’s investigatory procedures or decisions”.