Question reference: S6W-19385
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 21 June 2023
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 22 June 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding has been provided to local authorities to support the pay offers made by COSLA to the local government workforce since the 2023-24 Budget was published.
Answer
As set out in Annex A of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy, the Scottish Government has already confirmed to COSLA that a total of £343 million of additional funding will be made available to councils to support pay deals in 2023-24 over and above the allocation published in the Scottish Budget 2023-24.
Of this: £188.8 million was made available to fund the multi-year pay deal agreed by teachers; the additional £100 million for the Scottish Joint Council workforce was confirmed at Stage 3 of the Budget Bill; and Ministers have also provided reassurance to COSLA that a further £55 million, for a total of £155 million, will be provided through in-year budget management processes.
This £155 million of additional funding for the SJC workforce has already been factored into the existing COSLA pay offer and Ministers would encourage both sides to conclude negotiations as swiftly as possible.
As in previous years those transfers will be given formal effect during the annual budget revisions.