Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie has pressed the First Minister to "restore lost value in people's pay" to public sector workers by committing to an above inflation increase in their wages.

He said 1% public sector pay cap, which the Scottish Government has pledged to lift, has led to a 14% real terms drop in wages in the past five years.

Speaking at First Minister Questions, he said: "The commitment has been given to lift the 1% pay cap but no commitment has yet been given to an inflation-based increase, a real terms increase, restoring the lost value in people's pay that they have suffered over recent years."

He highlighted SNP Katie Forbes saying in a recent television interview the public sector pay increase should be at or above inflation.

He added: "We also heard a wider range of voices from multiple political parties accepting the basic Green proposition that fairer rates and bands of taxation can raise adequate revenue to fund our public services without resulting in cuts elsewhere and without cutting the pay of public service workers."

Mr Harvie questioned Nicola Sturgeon if she agreed with the premise that an above inflation pay increase for the public sector workers could given through fairer tax policies, without hitting low earners.

She said agreed with much of the sentiment but said the government had to take "proper decisions" and the detail of the public sector pay policy would be confirmed when the budget is published.

She added: "I think given the continuation of austerity, given the implications of Brexit that are becoming clearer by the day, we do need to ask ourselves in parliament how to use our still limited tax powers in order to protect our public services and provide the infrastructure that businesses need to thrive."

The First Minister said a discussion paper on the issue would be published next week.