Elections 2021: Tory Senedd leader says 1% NHS pay rise not enough
- Published
The UK government has made a 1% pay recommendation for some NHS staff
NHS staff in Wales deserve more than a 1% pay rise, Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies says.
The comments are in contrast to party colleagues in the UK government who have defended proposals to give some health staff in England 1%.
Mr Davies said he would make a "stronger recommendation" if his party won power after the Senedd elections.
Labour's Health Minister Vaughan Gething said he would not set an "arbitrary cap".
Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said Wales should "at least" meet a 4% rise seen in Scotland.
The three spoke in an episode of Question Time on Thursday evening.
The health service in Wales is run by the Welsh government, which is currently led by Labour.
Which party or parties can form the next government will be determined by the Welsh Parliament elections on 6 May.
The UK government's proposal covers nurses, midwives and other NHS staff.
It was made to an independent pay review body, which advises ministers at UK level and in the devolved nations.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had defended the 1% recommendation earlier in March, saying it was "as much" as his government could give in the "tough times" of the Covid pandemic.
Doctors, dentists and other senior staff have their own pay bodies or agreements.
Andrew RT Davies said he would make a "stronger recommendation" than 1%
Adam Price said the 4% decision in Scotland was "the least that our NHS staff deserve".
"If we don't give NHS staff a significant real terms increase in pay after everything that's happened in the last 12 months, what does it say about what we are as a society?"
Andrew RT Davies said: "I believe we should be rewarding our dedicated NHS workers and carers to the full value that we possibly can as a country.
"If I was first minister in Wales I would deliver whatever recommendation came out of the pay review board".
Pressed on if he supported a 1% rise, Mr Davies said: "I don't believe it would be enough, no.
"And that's why I'd be making a stronger recommendation to the pay review body.
Adam Price backed a 4% proposal made by the Scottish government
But Mr Davies added he "wouldn't be going arbitrarily around with numbers that I know weren't sustainable over the period".
He accused Mr Price of having previously backed a 12% increase.
Mr Price replied to Mr Davies saying that the Royal College of Nurses had made a "compelling" case for 12.5%.
"At least do what the Scottish government has done," he said, "and yes, let's aim to do more".
Vaughan Gething said there would be 'consequences' for public finances from a 1% rise
Vaughan Gething said Mr Davies had "supported austerity for 10 years".
"If actually the Treasury are only going to fund 1%, that's got real consequences not just for health and social care workers, but actually the wider public finances".
He said he had already given basic rate taxpayers in health and social care a £500 special payment.
"I've also made clear that we're going to wait for the pay review body recommendations", he said.
"I'm not setting an arbitrary cap."