PUBLIC SECTOR PAY

Public sector workers were celebrating after Nicola Sturgeon confirmed an end to the 1 per cent cap on public sector pay rises in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has stuck to a Uk-wide 1 per cent limit on pay rises that was introduced in 2013 after a two-year freeze.

But Ms Sturgeon confirmed that will change in the Scottish budget next year, with future pay rises based on the cost of living.

There have been reports that the UK government is drawing up similar plans.

Rising inflation means that the cap is no longer sustainable for hard-pressed families, Ms Sturgeon said yesterday.

“Our nurses, teachers, police officers and firefighters deserve a fairer deal for the future. Indeed, the need to recruit the staff that our public services depend on also demands a new approach,” she said.

“We will therefore aim to secure pay rises from next year that are affordable, but which also reflect the real life circumstances our public servants face and the contribution our public services make to the overall prosperity of our country.”