To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail what consideration she has given to the long-term impact on (i) recruitment; and (ii) retention, in further education if the pay disparity with school teachers remains unresolved.

I am pleased to update that I was able to facilitate a multi-year pay offer as a further step towards pay parity with teachers and I remain fully supportive of equitable remuneration for Further Education lecturers. I understand Further Education colleges, as the employers, are proposing a range of agreed workstreams as part of the pay offer, including on school teachers’ pay scale parity. I hope that the pay offer is accepted as it will have a positive impact on recruitment and retention.