Prospect and the other civil service unions in Scotland came to the agreement at a meeting with the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon and Scotland’s finance minister, Derek Mackay in May.

The unions had stressed how the higher cost of living and the 1% pay cap are impacting on members and pressed their case for lifting the cap.

Although the two ministers expressed sympathy and understanding for members’ situation, they would not commit to revisiting the public sector pay policies for 2017 or guarantee changes to the cap in the 2018 pay round.

They did however agree to look at the unions’ proposals to address members’ concerns without revisiting the 2017 budget.

Prospect negotiator Richard Hardy said: “Prospect recognises that the Scottish Government has a more enlightened approach to pay-related issues like progression and equality than the Westminster government.

“We also recognise that the Scottish Government has maintained its commitment to no compulsory redundancies for a considerable time.

“However sympathy doesn’t pay members’ bills and we are grateful that the First Minister has agreed to look at our proposals which will be set out in a letter in May.”