Under the proposals, police and prison officers in Englandand Wales would receive a 7% pay rise, while teachers and junior doctors inEngland would get 6.5% and 6% respectively.

Four education unions said the deal would allow them to endtheir dispute. They said they would advise their members to accept the offer.

When asked how he would pay for increases, Rishi Sunak saidit would mean choices and he is not shying away from that. He added that It'snot about cuts, it's just about focusing on public sector workers' pay ratherthan other things.

The PM also said the government would raise over £1bn by significantlyincreasing charges for migrants coming to the UK when they apply for visas andthe levy they pay to access the NHS.

 He ruled out funded the increases throughextra borrowing or increasing taxes.Sunak said pay awards in the education department would befully funded, but did not set out how it would be achieved.

Rising prices have also prompted industrial action amongother public sectors, with workers calling for pay rises matching or exceedingthe rate of inflation which currently stands at 8.7%.

But with the education unions responding warmly to thegovernment's offer, parents and pupils could see an end to strikes which haveimpacted schools across England over the past year.