Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:52 pm on 5 October 2021.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:52, 5 October 2021

Well, Llywydd, let me just make sure that Members are aware of the history of all of this. The Welsh Government, often at the urging of the trade union movement, committed ourselves to the independent pay review process. We made representations to it. It reported, and it recommended a 3 per cent pay increase, which the Welsh Government decided to honour. In order to fund that 3 per cent pay increase, we have a 1 per cent uplift from the UK Government. So, the other 2 per cent we are having to find from within the resources that are available to us for purposes other than pay. Every 1 per cent that the pay bill in the NHS rises costs £50 million. So, the Welsh Government is finding, from resources that were not sent to us for pay purposes, £100 million in order to make sure that we met the recommendations of the pay review body. Do I think that that is enough? No, I don't. Do I think the Welsh Government can go on finding dollops of £50 million in order to increase the pay award above and beyond what we are funded to do? The answer to that is 'no' as well.

And Llywydd, let me be clear, so that Members are in no doubt about it: we continue to be in discussions with the trade unions. I met them myself; the health Minister is meeting them this week. We are talking about a package of measures that we might be able to put together. Those discussions are not easy, I can tell you, because the trade unions, quite rightly, argue very strongly on behalf of their members. But you can't reach a resolution if you're not prepared to come to the table and have those discussions. The RCN is not at that table. I wish they were.