Galbraith faces no confidence motion

Ministers say Sam Galbraith should stay

A formal motion of no confidence in Scottish Education Minister Sam Galbraith has been tabled by the Conservatives.

Tory members of the Scottish Parliament say Mr Galbraith has lost credibility over the exams fiasco and should quit.

But the Scottish National Party says the Tories are taking a "senseless approach".

It argues that the motion will solidify Scottish Executive support behind Mr Galbraith - while failing to get to the core of the problem.

Sam Galbraith must be made accountable to Parliament and take full responsibility for the worst education crisis in Britain in living memory

Brian Monteith, Conservative education spokesman

Ministers are continuing to insist that Mr Galbraith need not resign.

The Conservatives want the motion debated as soon as the parliament returns in just over a week's time.

Scottish education spokesman Brian Monteith said: "It is clear that the credibility of the Scottish education system has been seriously damaged.

"The public has lost faith in our examination system and in the minister in particular.

"Sam Galbraith must be made accountable to parliament and take full responsibility for the worst education crisis in Britain in living memory.

Bill Morton's staff are checking results

"Mr Galbraith must resign and if he does not then he should face our motion of no confidence.

"The damage done to the Scottish education system in one week will take a generation to correct."

But SNP education spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon accused the Conservatives of "gesture politics" by tabling a motion which would not be carried.

"I want Sam Galbraith out of office, not off the hook," she said.

BBC Scotland's political editor Brian Taylor says most MSPs want to concentrate on the full-scale investigation already planned by the parliament's education committee.

Mr Galbraith will tough it out at least until that committee has completed its work - and would only be obliged to resign if blame could be laid directly at his department's door.

Our correspondent says some are privately speculating that a reshuffle may be needed if only to signal the seriousness of the affair.

Backlog clearing

The Scottish Qualification Authority has said the last remaining Higher results for university applicants should be rechecked by Thursday night.

The SQA hopes to have clarified all the other remaining Higher results within the next two days.

It is still working to clear the backlog caused by the exams fiasco - almost two weeks after Scottish students were due to receive their certificates.

Donald Dewar: Backing Mr Galbraith

The university admissions body Ucas has said Scottish students are now beginning to catch up on university places.

That comes after it emerged the acceptance rate for Scottish students applying to universities had fallen by 6.6% from last year.

First Minister Donald Dewar has reassured parents and pupils that everything possible is being done to address the exams crisis and promised that lessons would be learned from the last few weeks.

He has also continued to back Mr Galbraith and said that ultimate responsibility lay with him.

Anxious wait

The drop in higher education admissions first emerged on BBC Scotland's Failing the Test? programme on Tuesday night.

It was predicted this week that 600 students in Scotland would be late entering the race for university places because of the delays.

The Scottish Executive has pledged that no one would miss out on a university place because of the problems surrounding the exam results.

SQA staff worked through the weekend to clear the way for 2,000 students to receive their results on Tuesday - leaving 3,000 with an anxious wait before the confusion over their grades is lifted.

SQA interim chief executive Bill Morton also wants to verify all Standard Grade and intermediate results to ensure there are no problems with them.