LEGAL action brought by three Civil Service unions against the government’s alleged failure to consult over a new pay cap will be heard in October.

The FDA, Prospect and PCS – representing 200,000 civil servants – announced earlier this month that they were seeking a judicial review of the government’s new 1.5 per cent pay cap.

By contrast, other public-sector workers, including teachers, doctors and police officers, were awarded pay increases of up to 3.5 per cent in July.

Labour called the civil servants’ treatment “a slap in the face to public-sector workers who have seen their wages cut for years by the Tories’ cruel pay cap.”

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka noted that the “unprecedented show of unity from the Civil Service unions … shows how angry people are.”

The unions say that Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington “clearly and unequivocally promised” to “meaningfully consult” with them about the Civil Service pay remit guidance, which was issued in June.

It is said that a meeting with the government scheduled for June 21 “was cancelled a few hours before it was due to take place without any explanation” and that, four days later, the guidance was issued without further consultation.

In the grounds for application for judicial review filed with the High Court, Martin Westgate QC said the unions had a “legitimate expectation” that the government would consult with them, “in particular about the key [pay cap] figure.”

Mrs Justice Nicola Davies listed the case yesterday for a date in the first week in October, where the unions must demonstrate that they have an arguable case to proceed to a full judicial review.