T3. Mr McReynolds asked the Minister of Finance, with strike action looking set to continue, to outline the engagement that she has had with the Minister of Health about junior doctors’ pay. (AQT 253/22-27)

I have engaged with the Health Minister, as I have with all Ministers, in the Budget process. Obviously, the Health Minister raised the issue of pay, the challenges that would be faced in year and the ongoing challenges that would be faced in respect of junior doctors, who, clearly, need to have their demands looked at favourably, given their importance to the health service and the importance of the role that they play in that service, often under challenging conditions.

I thank the Minister for her response. Will she raise junior doctors' pay in her discussions with Treasury? Does she believe that multi-year budgeting is an important tool in stabilising industrial relations?

I will raise the huge challenges that face the Budget when I meet Treasury. I have impressed upon Treasury and the shadow Secretary of State the need for the Executive to be in a position to set a multi-year Budget. Obviously, that is dependent on the spending review period that the Westminster Government choose. We are not, for example, able to set a multi-year Budget this year, because it is the final year of a spending review. I would very much like to see us in a multi-year spending review from the next financial year. That is not within our gift, but I will continue to make those representations. Departments would be much better able to plan strategically in order to meet challenges.