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Markers for the Scottish Qualifications Authority will see their average hourly pay rates rise from ?6 to ?9 following the intervention of Scottish education minister Jack McConnell.

Mr McConnell announced a 50 per cent rise for the SQA's 7,000 markers, moderators and examining teams in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year's fiasco when thousands of candidates had inaccurate, missing or incomplete results. The move, which was recommended by the SQA, will cost ?3 million.