Up to 4,500 civil servants are preparing for industrial action that could affect ministerial visits, the preparing of replies to ministerial questions and the process of land registration in protest at a 2 per cent pay offer.

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said that a ballot of its 4,000 members working for the Scottish government showed that 50.5 per cent were in favour of a strike and 71.6 per cent in favour of action short of a strike. At the land registration body Registers of Scotland, union members voted 64.8 per cent for a strike and 83 per cent for action short of a strike.

Pay ballots for local government workers are also due to conclude this month.

Eddie Reilly, the PCS Scottish secretary, said: “This is a majority decision over a minority government.

“In spite of daily pressures of rising food costs, travel, gas and electricity, PCS members in the Scottish government and Registers of Scotland have demonstrated the strength of their anger over the proposed pay cut.”

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