New figures have revealed that Scottish public sector workers earn an average of over £400 more than their English counterparts.

According to figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), median gross annual pay for Scottish public sector workers is £31,877, in comparison to an average of £31,414 for English workers.

For six years, public sector pay increases were capped in the UK at 1%, however, the Scottish Government ended the pay cap this year.
More than 80 per cent of Scotland’s workforce are paid at least the living wage, making Scotland the best performing of all UK countries in this regard.
Commenting, Brendan O’Hara MP for Argyll and Bute said:

“These figures show just how disastrous the impact of Tory austerity is having on England. As a result of pay cuts and the increased cost of living, many people are now living from pay cheque to pay cheque to cover their rent, bills and living costs.”

“The public sector is one of the biggest employers in Argyll and Bute, employing 39.5% of residents. It is welcoming that the Scottish Government have taken action with the powers that they have to pay our public sector workers fairly.”
“In contrast, the Tories at Westminster are steering the UK towards one of the most economically uncertain times in history, with top economists warning that Brexit – which the people of Scotland overwhelmingly voted against – could lead to a shocking £1600 drop in average earnings.”

Source: Argyll and Bute Council: ” 39.5% of employee jobs in Argyll and Bute are in ‘public administration, education and health’.  This compares to 30.0% for Scotland and 27.0% for Great Britain (ONS Annual Business Inquiry employee analysis, 2008).” 
https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/info/statistics/quick-facts-and-figures-about-argyll-and-bute 
Data verified May 2018 – ABC.