Brown: restoring his prudent reputation

The public sector is facing pay increases of less than three per cent after Gordon Brown made clear his determination to keep inflation under control.

Teachers, who have called for a 10 per cent increase, will be among those most angered by the announcement, which will amount to the least generous rise in more than two decades.

The independent salary review body, which has recommended the pay rise, will set out details to the government tomorrow.

It is thought the body will recommend an increase of 2.9 per cent.

The pay increase - which applies to teachers, civil servants and the armed forces - has already come under fire from unions.

"A 2.9 per cent increase will do nothing to recruit and retain the number of teachers needed to ensure high quality education for our children throughout the country," said Doug McAvoy of the NUT.

"The increasing dependence of the education service on unqualified people and transient teachers does not ensure a proper education for every child."If the report of the 2.9 per cent increase is accurate, the government will have failed to address the recruitment and retention of problems and ensure that every school can be assured of sufficient teachers to meet their pupils' needs.

"It would be an insult to the enormous efforts every teacher makes. The government should have the courage to tackle the problem of teachers' pay to ensure the profession can recruit the graduates we need despite the high salaries available elsewhere in the economy."

The pay settlement comes at a time when some public servants are receiving substantially higher increases.

Fire fighters have already rejected a four per cent settlement, while NHS staff have agreed to increases of as much as 10 per cent in some cases.