Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:00 pm on 9 October 2025.
Douglas Ross
Conservative
2:00,
9 October 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it considers the percentage of students earning an A, B or C in higher history fluctuated by 27.6 per cent between 2023 and 2025. (S6O-05053)
Jenny Gilruth
Scottish National Party
There are always year-on-year fluctuations in pass rates in both directions for individual courses. The Scottish Qualifications Authority has worked in partnership with history teachers to develop and deliver an enhanced and well-received understanding standards programme. Following the 13 per cent dip last year, I was pleased to see that the pass rate improved by 14.6 per cent this year.
The SQA quality-assured awarding process, which includes grade boundary checks, confirmed that the assessments worked as intended and that the national standard was consistently applied. Candidates can be confident that their results in both years reflect the hard work and achievement.
Douglas Ross
Conservative
I am sorry, but I do not think that candidates can be confident. The SQA’s internal review of the 2024 higher history exam blamed the students, yet we now see the exam results back up to pre-2024 levels. Does the Cabinet secretary not accept that that means that the SQA’s review—a review that she whole-heartedly supported—was wrong? Does she understand that students who got lower-than-expected grades in 2024 feel a sense of injustice and that their marks were not sound?
Jenny Gilruth
Scottish National Party
I thank Mr Ross for his interest in this matter. We have discussed it at length in front of his committee, but I want to put on the record and reassure him that I pressed the issue with previous management at the SQA on no less than three occasions. Of course, there has also been an independent report into the processes that were applied.
It is worth recounting, however, that pass rates vary year on year. I can cite other examples, such as that the national 5 graphic communications pass rate fell from 74.2 per cent in 2023 to 64.8 per cent in 2024, and then it increased again to 76.7 per cent in 2025. There will always be variations.
There were issues in relation to higher history last year—I accept that—and the SQA took a number of different actions in that regard, not least in relation to the support to the profession, but also through additional support for teachers of higher history and markers being put in place. The markers’ report was also reviewed and updated. The markers’ report is important, because it looks at the national standard and identifies strengths and weaknesses in performance. Markers were given the form earlier this year so that it could be used by all markers who are undertaking coursework and question paper marking in 2025. It is also a matter of public record that the SQA carried out an independent review that looked into the matters in detail at that time.
Paul McLennan
Scottish National Party
Although the Opposition looks to discredit the dedication of Scotland’s students through persistent negativity about Scotland’s schools, this year’s SQA results showed record levels of achievement. Can the Cabinet secretary speak further on the overall performance of Scotland’s schools, notably in relation to the narrowing of the poverty-related attainment gap? [ Interruption .]
Jenny Gilruth
Scottish National Party
I can hear someone to my left muttering the word “shameful”, but I thank Paul McLennan for highlighting the achievements of our young people in Scotland this year, which have been remarkable. A record number of vocational and technical qualifications were achieved, and pass rates for nat 4, nat 5, higher and advanced higher were up compared to last year. The poverty-related attainment gap has also narrowed for nat 5, higher and advanced higher when compared to last year. We also had 95.7 per cent of school leavers in initial positive destinations in 2024, which is our second-highest level ever. Of course, there is more work to do, particularly in relation to the attainment gap, but I certainly welcome the progress that we have seen this year in relation to our exam results.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
