Question reference: S5W-33645
- Asked by: George Adam, MSP for Paisley, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 30 November 2020
-
Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of the UK Government including a pay freeze for most public sector workers in its pay remit in the next financial year, what assurances it can provide frontline health and adult social care workers in Scotland that they will be recognised for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
The Scottish Government will, in the current 2020-21 financial year, provide all staff working within our NHS, frontline primary care, adult social care sector, hospice and palliative care sector, and residential childcare settings, with a pro-rated one off payment of £500, a small contribution towards our recognising the value of these frontline staff.
We aim to make these payments as soon as is practicable, working with the sectors where we don’t have a direct pay relationship to help shape the appropriate mechanisms to account for varying contracting and working practices. The estimated investment in this one off payment is approximately £180 million.
This is a small contribution towards our recognising the value of these frontline staff. Freezing NHS staff pay in 2021-22 is not the policy of the Scottish Government, and our pay negotiations with NHS staff side for 2021-22 will continue as we work towards a fair deal for the next financial year.