Robin Swann wants policy to allow health staff pay rises

In July an independent pay review body recommended that health staff in NI should get a pay increase of £1,400

The NI health minister has written to the finance minister asking him to set a pay policy which is a necessary step to awarding health service pay rises.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy has said a public sector pay policy cannot be set in the absence of an executive.

In July, an independent pay review body recommended that health staff in NI should get a pay increase of £1,400.

Health Minister Robin Swann immediately said he would accept the recommendation.

However, in a letter circulated among executive ministers in recent days he said: "I am still being advised that I cannot make any formal announcement regarding health service pay awards in the absence of an overarching Executive public sector pay policy.

He adds that he would be "most grateful for an update" on the setting of a public sector pay policy.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Murphy was clear that a pay policy could not be set without a functioning executive in place.

The executive has not been operating since February when the Democratic Unionist Party withdrew from the first minister role in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Meanwhile, it is understood that if national pay recommendations were to be implemented it would cost the Department of Health £215m.

That is the major contribution to a looming £450m overspend at that department.

Even if the pay rise is not awarded accounting rules mean it may still be deducted from the department's spending totals.

Another £90m of "unfunded pressures" are understood to relate to energy costs although that figure will fall once the non-domestic energy price cap is implemented.