Wales aiming to match England on teachers' pay award, minister says

The new Plaid Cymru government is hoping to give teachers in Wales a similar pay increase to that in England, the education minister has said. Anna Brychan told the BBC the government would be "looking to" at least match pay awards for teachers across the border. England's teachers have been offered a 6.5% rise over three years by the UK government – a deal called an "insult" by one union which said it would not even match inflation. The same union has now accused Brychan of not making teachers' pay a priority. On pupils having mobile phones in schools, Brychan said she did not feel there was a place for the devices "in the school day and within school". Last week, the Welsh government told teaching unions that it would delay publication of a report by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body which contains the recommended percentage increases pay award for 2026-27. The report is understood to be complete. It was originally due to be published on Friday 12 June and followed by a four-week consultation. Speaking on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Wednesday, Brychan said she wanted more time to look at the report's recommendations. "There are a number of them in this report," she said. "So